The Ultimate Guide to Observing the Fall Sky (Northern Hemisphere)

Aquarius

Known as the water bearer, Aquarius is a large constellation covering 980 square degrees. It is bordered by the constellations Pegasus, Pisces, Cetus, Sculptor, and Piscis Austrinus. Aquarius is one of the 13 constellations of the zodiac and resides in the area of the sky where the annual Delta Aquarids meteor shower takes place in the early morning hours of late July.

Andromeda

In Greek mythology, Andromeda, the princess daughter of Queen Cassiopeia and King Cepheus, was chained to a rock waiting to be Cetus, the sea monster's dinner. Andromeda is a prominent and recognizable fall constellation covering 722 square degrees of the sky. Andromeda appears as two long lines of stars in which the bright star Alpheratz seems to share one of Pegasus's square stars but is actually a part of Andromeda. Andromeda is also home to the brightest and most famous spiral galaxy visible to the naked eye, with which it shares a name. Find this constellation near Cassiopeia, Perseus, Triangulum, Pisces, and Pegasus.

Aries

Known as "The Ram" in Latin, Aries is usually listed as the first constellation of the zodiac due to the Sun's location within it around the beginning of Spring 1800 BC. For many civilizations, this was the start of the new year. Its symbol represents a ram's horns and is marked by Hamal, a second magnitude yellow giant star. You’ll find Aries near Pisces to the west and Triangulum to the north.

Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia, the wife of King Cepheus of Ethiopia, is a circumpolar constellation most prominent during the fall. Cassiopeia can be found between the north celestial pole and Andromeda. The brightest stars form an easy to recognize "M" or "W," which makes this constellation very easy to locate. Like the constellation Perseus, Cassiopeia is situated in the Milky Way and contains several deep-sky objects, including open star clusters visible in small aperture telescopes. 

Cepheus

Cepheus is one of the Greek constellations and named King Cepheus of Ethiopia. He is the husband of Cassiopeia and the father of Andromeda. Cepheus can be found near the North Pole and, like Cassiopeia, is a circumpolar constellation that is visible all year long in the Northern Hemisphere. Cepheus’ prominent stars form a five-sided figure that resembles a house. Cepheus contains some of the largest known stars in the Milky Way that are highlighted in this guide.

Cetus

In Greek mythology, Cetus, the sea monster, was sent to dine on Andromeda while she was chained to a rock as a sacrifice. Cetus is located below Pisces and is visible in late fall and winter. Cetus is a large constellation taking up 1,231 square degrees and is the 4th largest constellation in the night sky.

Perseus

Named after the Greek mythology hero, Perseus used Medusa's severed head to turn the sea monster, Cetus, into stone. Perseus is located along the Milky Way, southwest of Cassiopeia's famous "W." During mid-August, when Earth passes through the remnants of comet Swift-Tuttle, many shooting stars appear to "rain" from its direction. This famous meteor shower is known as the Perseids. Perseus is home to several deep-sky objects and a famous eclipsing binary star Algol, whose name in Arabic translates to "head of the demon." 

Pegasus

The winged horse is a northern constellation bordered by Cygnus, Pisces, and Andromeda. Pegasus can be found by drawing a line from Polaris (the pole star) through the west end of Cassiopeia. Pegasus is easily identified by its unmistakable giant "square" in the sky comprised of four stars, a centerpiece in the mid-fall sky. One of its stars, Alpheratz, is shared by the constellation Andromeda. Pegasus has many deep-sky objects, but most are too faint to be seen in small telescopes. 

Pisces

Pisces, also known as The Fishes, is a large fall constellation of faint stars located in an area of the sky called the Sea. It can be found swimming next to Aries and just below the Great Square of Pegasus. Pisces' head forms a faint circle of stars connected to its body, resembling an eighth musical note. Pisces is best seen from a dark sky.

Triangulum

Triangulum is one of the minor constellations in the night sky. It is located just above Aries and below Andromeda. Its name means "triangle" in Latin, and its three brightest stars resemble an arrow. Although there are no major star clusters or nebulae, Triangulum is home to the Pinwheel galaxy, a face-on irregular spiral galaxy belonging to the Local Group of galaxies. 

Algol

Also called the Demon Star, Algol is located in the constellation Perseus and has an apparent magnitude that varies between 2.1 and 3.4. It is one of the best-known eclipsing binary systems composed of two stars that orbit and pass in front of each other, causing the star to dim and grow in brightness. This occurs because the orbital plane of these two stars is almost edge-on, as seen from Earth. It was the first of its kind to be recorded back in 1667. Algol is derived from Arabic, meaning "head of the ghoul," or the Gorgon, Medusa whose head is covered in snakes. Scary indeed!

Almach

Almach is one of the best-known double stars in the sky and is located at one of Andromeda's feet. Through a telescope, the larger star appears golden, while the smaller star appears indigo blue. However, astronomers have discovered that Almach actually consists of four stars. The blue star is part of a triple star system, making Almach a quadruple star system! 

Andromeda Galaxy

A favorite autumn target, the Great Andromeda Galaxy, is the brightest (apparent magnitude 3.4) and nearest spiral galaxy to our own Milky Way and is located in the constellation Andromeda. Also known as Messier 31 or NGC 224, the Andromeda galaxy is just 2.5 million light-years away from Earth and is the most distant object humans can see with their naked eyes. The Andromeda Galaxy is easily visible from a dark sky site and appears as a fuzzy patch of light. It is so large that a rich field telescope or binoculars are ideal for observing the entire galaxy in the eyepiece field of view. The galaxy's core and two satellite galaxies, Messier 32 and Messier 110, are visible in a telescope. Details in its spiral arms, though, are best seen in long exposure astroimages. The Andromeda Galaxy is on a collision course with our Milky Way galaxy, but according to NASA scientists, such an event won't happen for at least four billion years!

Double Cluster

The Double Cluster is another favorite celestial target during autumn months as it rides high in the sky and appears exactly like its name—two-star clusters side by side. Also known as H and Chi Persei (NGC 869 and NGC 884), it is an open cluster located 7600 light-years away in the constellation Perseus and has apparent magnitudes of 3.7/3.8. To find the Double Cluster, use binoculars and look roughly halfway between the constellations Cassiopeia and Perseus. From a dark sky, it will appear as a visible smudge in the sky. A telescope will reveal an impressive view of two sparkling clusters filled with stars, including several supergiant suns.

E.T. or Owl Cluster

NGC 457 is a small open star cluster in Cassiopeia. It's also known as the Owl Cluster or the E.T. Cluster because its two brightest stars resemble an owl's eyes or the eyes of the extraterrestrial creature from the movie of the same name. With an apparent magnitude of 6.4, the cluster is just past naked-eye visibility, but it is visible in binoculars and through a telescope. If you use your imagination, the cluster's stars will resemble an owl's shape with its wings spread out as if it is ready to take flight into the cosmic realm. The cluster is always a favorite object to show kids at star parties.

Fomalhaut

Shining at magnitude 1.1, Fomalhaut is the brightest star in the Piscis Austrinus constellation, also known as "the southern fish." What makes this star unique is that its location in an area of the sky without any other bright stars. It stands out as a solitary star. In 1983, the IRAS satellite discovered infrared radiation coming from Fomalhaut—a dusty debris ring. Later in 2008, astronomers announced the discovery of an exoplanet named Fomalhaut b, or Dagon. Although you won't see the debris ring or exoplanet, you will see a brilliant star in your telescope when you visit the "loneliest" star in the sky.

Messier 15

Also known as the NGC 7078, Messier 15 is a beautiful globular cluster located in the Pegasus constellation. It was discovered by Jean-Dominique Maraldi in 1746 and listed as the 15^th object in Charles Messier's catalog. M15 is one of the oldest globular clusters and has an apparent magnitude of 6.2. It appears as a fuzzy star in binoculars, but in telescopes with at least 6" in aperture, M15 will reveal its bright core of densely packed stars estimated to be about 33,600 light-years from Earth. It measures roughly 210 light-years across. It is also the first globular cluster to have a planetary nebula, Pease 1, identified to be within it.

Messier 33

The Triangulum Galaxy, or NGC 598, is a nearby face-on spiral and third-largest galaxy in the Local Group. It is located three million light-years away in the small constellation Triangulum and is barely visible (apparent magnitude of 5.7) to the naked eye from an extremely dark sky in exceptional seeing conditions. Binoculars or low-powered telescopes are recommended due to the galaxy's low surface brightness distributed in an area of nearly four full Moons! Challenge yourself to find it! 

Messier 34

M34 or NGC 1039 is an open cluster of approximately 400 stars residing in the Perseus constellation about 5 degrees away from the Demon Star, Algol. It is about 1,500 light-years from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 5.5. M34 can be seen in dark skies. Binoculars or a low-powered telescope are recommended. 

Mu Cephei

Mu Cephei is the famous Herschel's Garnet Star, a red supergiant and one of the most stunning luminous stars in the night sky. Located in the constellation Cepheus, "the King," it is one of the largest stars visible to the naked eye and has an apparent magnitude of 4.08. Mu Cephei's reddish color easily makes the star stand out in dark skies. With an absolute magnitude of -7.0, its luminosity is about the same as 350,000 Suns! Mu Cephei is now in its twilight years and will eventually go supernova. But don't panic; it may take millions of years to do so. You'll have plenty of time to view this beautiful carbon star in your lifetime. 

VV Cephei

VV Cephei is a 5^th magnitude red supergiant, variable binary star system located approximately 4,900 light-years from Earth and most fittingly in the constellation Cepheus, "the King." With an apparent magnitude of 4.9 to 5.4, it is one of the largest known stars in the Milky Way. This red supergiant is believed to have a mass of 19 solar masses. VV Cephei consists of two stars–a cooler red supergiant star and a hotter blue-white sequence star. Look for it just inside Cepheus' "square house" using binoculars or a telescope.

September 26 – Jupiter at Opposition.

The king of the planets returns to the evening sky. It will be fully illuminated by the Sun, shining at a brilliant magnitude of -2.9. Jupiter’s opposition to the Sun and its closest approach to Earth will fall on the same day this year. It will be closest to Earth than it has been for 70 years! This will be the best time to view and photograph Jupiter and its moons. Throughout 2022, Jupiter will be located in Pisces. Look for its famous Great Red Spot, cloud bands, and four Galilean moons.

September 20 – Harvest Moon.

The full Moon closest to the autumn equinox is called the Harvest Moon. In the Northern Hemisphere, the autumn equinox falls on September 22, while the full Moon falls on September 20, the Harvest Moon. It begins at 23:54 Universal Time. Look for it rising and basking the landscape with its warm orange moonlight. 

October 25 – Partial Solar Eclipse.

The Moon will cover only a portion of the Sun, resembling a “cookie bite,” so a partial solar eclipse will be seen. This eclipse can only be safely observed with a safe solar filter or by using solar projection. It will be visible from Europe, the Urals, Western Siberia, Central Asia, Western Asia, and north-eastern Africa. Maximum partial eclipse phase will occur on the West Siberian Plain in Russia with over 80% of the Sun covered by the Moon.

November 7, 8 – Total Lunar Eclipse.

The second lunar eclipse of 2022 will occur on November 7, 8. It will be visible in parts of Asia, Australia, North America, parts of northern and eastern Europe, and most of South America. Expect to witness a “blood red” Moon during totality, as the Moon moves into the Earth’s darker shadow or umbra. The Earth blocks most of the sunlight, but some rays are scattered by Earth's atmosphere and are reflected off the Moon's surface, giving it its striking reddish appearance.

November 17, 18 – Leonids Meteor Shower.

The Leonids produce an average of 10 to 15 meteors per hour at their peak. About once every 33 years, the Leonids brings a great meteor storm can occur with hundreds and hundreds of meteors per hour. This peak last occurred in 2001. The Leonids are produced by dust left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle. The Leonids shower runs annually from November 6-30 and will peak on the night of the 17th and the morning of the 18th. This year, the last quarter Moon will wash out all but the brighter meteors, but the Leonids can be unpredictable, so there’s always a good chance for a good show. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Leo but can appear anywhere in the sky.

December 8 - Mars at Opposition.

The red planet will be at its closest approach to Earth on December 1, 2022 but will reach opposition on December 8, 2022. Its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun and brighter than any other time of the year, shining at magnitude -1.9. Mars will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Mars. A medium to large aperture (8” or more) telescope will allow you to clearly see some of the dark markings on the planet's orange/reddish surface.

December 13, 14 – Geminids Meteor Shower.

The Geminids is the king of the meteor showers, producing up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour at its peak. This shower is produced by debris left behind by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon, discovered in 1983. It runs annually from December 7-17 and peaks this year on the night of the 13th and the morning of the 14th. The waning gibbous Moon will block many fainter meteors this year, but the Geminids are so abundant and bright that it should still put on a good show. The best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Gemini but can appear anywhere in the sky.

Tip #2: Seeing Conditions

Steady seeing conditions are critical while observing objects such as planets, the Moon, or double stars. However, deep sky objects such as nebulae and galaxies are less affected by poor seeing conditions. Avoid nights of bad seeing when our atmosphere is turbulent, and your targets appear like shimmering blobs in your telescope's eyepiece. Start with low magnification and work your way up if the views remain steady. You will be amazed at how sharp and detailed objects can appear during a night of good seeing.

Tip #3: Telescope Cooldown

Tip #4: Collimation

Collimate, collimate, collimate! If you own a Newtonian or Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, make sure your telescope's optics are collimated. It can make a difference when it comes to discerning fine detail. If the optics are slightly out of alignment, you may be cheating yourself out of seeing the clearest and sharpest details. Make it a habit to check collimation and adjust as needed once your telescope is cooled down. Most refractor telescopes generally do not need to be collimated.

Tip #5: Dress in layers

Warm balmy nights may feel like shorts and t-shirt weather for the most part, but it's best to keep a light jacket handy just in case the temperature drops at night. Warm early fall nights can bring mosquitoes and other four-, six-, and eight-legged creepy crawlers out of the woodwork, so it's probably a good idea to cover up and apply bug spray, or else your evening of stargazing may turn out to be an unpleasant one.   

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