Highlights of the autumn skies

From returning favourites to unmissable one-off events, Katrin Raynor picks out the best night-sky sights coming up in the months ahead

- Katrin Raynor

As September approaches, astronomers leave the long, hazy days and short, bright nights of summer behind and welcome the return of dark skies. The longer, darker nights allow us to view some of the most loved and prized night-sky objects that return each autumn.

And there's a lot to look forward to this season, whether you're using your naked eye, binoculars or a telescope. This guide will help you find some fascinating objects, either from your garden or from a dark-sky site away from light pollution, whether you're an absolute beginner or a more well-seasoned astronomer. Remember to wrap up warm and grab a red torch to follow this guide as you head out into the dark. Downloading a stargazing app will help you find your way around the targets we highlight too.

September

After midnight on 4 September, Jupiter will be shining close to a waning Moon low in the eastern sky. Just over a week later, on 12 September, a very thin waning crescent Moon and Venus will create a spectacular sight just before dawn. At 6:50am on 23 September, the autumn equinox occurs - the point at which the Sun illuminates the Northern and Southern Hemispheres equally, marking the start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. After sunset on 29 September, look to the east to see the last supermoon of the year rise above the horizon, when it will appear bigger and brighter than usual.

During September, comet 103P/Hartley could become a viable target to track for sky-watchers with binoculars and small telescopes.

Constellations of the month include Andromeda and Cassiopeia. They lie close to each other and are visible after 10pm towards the northeast. Use Cassiopeia, the distinctive W-shaped constellation, to star-hop to Andromeda. The brightest stars in Andromeda are Alpheratz (Alpha Andromedae), Mirach and Almach.