Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Waning gibbous moon (82% lit, 4 days past full), rises late evening; terminator shadows make craters/canyons pop in binoculars or small telescope Saturn nearing opposition (Oct 4): up essentially all night, biggest and brightest of the year, rings visible in small telescope Jupiter a morning planet (rises ~2:30 AM, bright before sunrise); Venus low in west right after sunset; Mars rises after 1 AM Draconids meteor shower peaks night of Oct 8: rare evening shower (best just after dark), radiant in Draco (northwest), ~5-10/hr, near-new moon = dark skies, known for surprise outbursts Orionids pea
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