What’s Up in Denver? September 7th through 13th, 2026

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Here’s a brief look at what’s going on in the Mile High City this week.

September 7:

The Moon with Castor, Pollux and Mars
The Moon with Castor, Pollux and Mars

September 8:

The Moon between M44 and Jupiter
The Moon between M44 and Jupiter

September 9:

 

The Moon near Regulus
The Moon near Regulus
  • Look for the tiny waning crescent Sturgeon Moon near Regulus at the end of the sickle asterism in the constellation Leo low in the eastern sky around 5:30AM until dawn.
  • The waxing crescent Sturgeon Moon reaches Descending Node as it moves from north to south of the Earth’s apparent orbital plane around the sun at 3:17PM

September 10:

Standley Lake Stargazing
Standley Lake Stargazing

September 11 (Dark Sky Weekend):

Sommers-Bausch Observatory
Sommers-Bausch Observatory

September 12 (Dark Sky Weekend):

The Milky Way above Jackson Lake State Park
The Milky Way above Jackson Lake State Park

September 13 (Dark Sky Weekend):

The Moon between Venus and Spica
The Moon between Venus and Spica

This Week’s Solar System Summary:

  • The Sun rises about 6:33 AM at the start of the week and about 6:39 AM by Sunday, while sunset shifts from 7:21 PM to 7:11 PM. Denver continues to lose a little more than two minutes of daylight each day as we approach the September equinox.
  • The Moon rises in the early morning at the start of the week and shifts into the morning and afternoon hours by the weekend, while moonset moves from the late afternoon into the evening. On September 7, the Moon rises around 2:17 AM and sets around 5:34 PM; by September 13, it rises around 9:26 AM and sets around 8:12 PM.
  • Venus continues to shine brilliantly in the western sky after sunset, although it is gradually moving lower toward the horizon. It remains an easy target in the evening twilight.
  • Saturn rises around 9 PM and is visible for most of the night, making it one of the best planetary targets this week. It is especially well placed for telescopic observing later in the evening.
  • Jupiter and Mars are morning planets. Jupiter is becoming increasingly prominent in the eastern sky before sunrise, while Mars remains lower and fainter but is gradually improving.
  • Uranus rises before midnight and is well placed for telescopic observation during the late-night and early-morning hours. Under dark skies, experienced observers may even glimpse it without optical aid.
  • Neptune rises during the evening and is visible throughout most of the night. With opposition approaching on September 25, it is becoming an increasingly favorable telescopic target.
  • Mercury is poorly placed this week, remaining very low in the western sky after sunset. It may be possible to catch it with binoculars or a telescope, but the observing window is extremely short.

This Week’s Meteoric Activity:

You can keep track of the activity of meteor showers as well as those beyond the limits of visual observing by visiting the NASA Meteor Shower Portal.

  • September ε-Perseids (SPE): 5:00 AM in Perseus: About 5 per hour at peak. Peak: September 9
  • September Lyncids (SLY): 5:00 AM in Lynx: About 5 per hour at peak. Peak: September 12
  • Anthelion (ANT): 2:00 AM near Aquarius/Pisces: About 1 per hour
  • ν-Eridanids (NUE): 5:00 AM in Eridanus: Less than 1 per hour. Peak: September 8
  • August β-Piscids (BPI): 9:00 PM in Pisces: Less than 1 per hour
  • η-Eridanids (ERI): 4:00 AM in Eridanus: Less than 1 per hour.
  • χ-Cygnids (CCY): 9:00 PM in Cygnus: Less than 1 per hour

Check Out These Helpful Guides from DAS:

Sky Map

Clear skies and happy stargazing!