On September 23, 2026, at 00:05 UTC, the Sun crosses the celestial equator heading south. It’s the fall equinox: the nights are getting longer, temperatures remain mild, and the astronomical observation season resumes under ideal conditions. It’s not yet too cold to stay outside, and there’s enough darkness to observe. Here is a list of what awaits you this fall, as seen from Switzerland, including visible planets, their altitudes, must-see events, and astrophotography ideas for every level of equipment.
At the equinox, the Sun passes exactly over the celestial equator. Day and night are of equal length—hence the name. From that point on in the Northern Hemisphere, the nights grow longer rapidly: at our latitudes, we gain about 3 minutes of night per day. In late September, astronomical night (when the Sun is 18 degrees below the horizon) begins around 9:30 p.m. in Switzerland. By late October, it begins as early as 7:00 p.m. In December, it begins as early as 5:30 p.m.
Another advantage of fall is the temperature. You can still observe without gloves, without getting too hot, and without worrying about frost forming on your telescope’s optics. In October in Switzerland, temperatures range from 5 to 15 degrees at night—perfect for spending two or three hours outside without getting cold. In November, you’ll need to start bundling up, but the nights are long and the fall targets are back.
Saturn reaches opposition on October 4, 2026, in the constellation Cetus. This is the planetary event of the fall. At opposition, Saturn is visible all night long, at its highest point in the sky and at its brightest (magnitude +0.1).
From Switzerland (~47 degrees N), Saturn reaches a maximum altitude of about 38 degrees directly south. This is ideal for a telescope—not too high to avoid a stiff neck, high enough to overcome most atmospheric absorption. The rings are the must-see attraction. With a 150 mm telescope, you can make out the Cassini Division. With a 200 mm telescope or larger, you begin to see the shadows cast by the rings onto the planet.
Saturn will remain visible in the evening through December, gradually sinking lower in the sky.
Jupiter is a morning planet in September and October 2026. It rises around midnight in early September, then earlier and earlier. On September 24, Jupiter moves from Cancer into Leo. Magnitude -1.9.
From Switzerland, Jupiter reaches an altitude of about 50 degrees in late fall (early November). It is an excellent target for observing the Galilean moons and transits. On November nights, Jupiter is high in the sky before dawn, with the four Galilean moons clearly separated.
Jupiter reaches opposition on February 9, 2027. So this fall, we’re in for an early-morning observation opportunity.
Mars is a morning planet, currently rising. With a magnitude of +1.1 in late September, it is near Castor and Pollux in Gemini. On September 25, Mars aligns with the two stars. In October, Mars passes through the Beehive Cluster (M44) on October 10–12—a beautiful event for observation and astrophotography.
From Switzerland, Mars reaches an altitude of about 51 degrees starting in late November. It will be in opposition on January 27, 2027. This fall, it’s a target to watch in the early morning, but it will rise higher in the sky and grow brighter as the weeks go by.
Uranus reaches its maximum culmination of 58 degrees starting on September 25. Magnitude +5.7, near Omega Tauri. Uranus is visible to the naked eye under a very dark sky, but binoculars or a telescope are needed to distinguish it from the stars. It reaches opposition on November 25.
From Switzerland, 58 degrees of altitude is very high—higher than Saturn or Neptune. It’s an easy target for a telescope with a 100-mm aperture or larger, where it appears as a small blue-green disk.
Neptune is in opposition on September 26—see our dedicated article. Magnitude +7.8 in Pisces, culminating at 37 degrees as seen from Switzerland. Visible through binoculars as a point, and through a 150-mm telescope as a blue disk measuring 2.4 arcseconds.
Venus is an evening planet, but it sets less than an hour after the Sun in late September. It is at its brightest (magnitude -4.5), very low in the western twilight. Difficult to see from our latitudes. Venus returns as a morning planet starting in late October (inferior conjunction on October 24).
Mercury reaches its greatest eastern elongation on October 12, but remains very low on the western horizon. Difficult to observe from Switzerland.
Three reasons. First, the nights are getting longer: we go from 8–9 hours of darkness in September to more than 12 hours in December. Second, it’s not too cold yet: in October, temperatures range from 5 to 15 degrees at night, which is comfortable for stargazing. Finally, fall targets are among the most beautiful: M31, the Pleiades, the Double Cluster, and Saturn and Jupiter in succession. It’s also the season when smart telescopes really shine—long nights, targets high in the sky, and temperatures that don’t drain the battery.
Enjoy them. September nights are still mild. October nights are the most comfortable. November and December nights are long, but you’ll need gloves. But they’re all better than summer nights, when the sky never really turns dark.
Sources : Sky at Night Magazine – Planets Visible in 2026 (Pete Lawrence); ; EarthSky – September Equinox 2026 ; NASA – Astronomical Events in 2026 ; Royal Museum Greenwich – Highlights 2026.
See also on Deep Space Astronomy: Neptune in opposition on September 26, 2026 ; Barlow and backfocus
Signature: CBurkhalter
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