Al-Ajiri Center: The first autumn homes have begun... and 7 astronomical phenomena in September
The Al-Ajiri Scientific Center stated that the season of “Al-Jibha,” which marks the first lunar mansion of autumn and the second season of the star Suhayl, begins in Kuwait on September 6 and lasts for 13 days, until September 18.
The center clarified that one of the most notable features of the “Al-Jibha” season is the feeling of cool air during nighttime hours, while temperatures remain moderate, alongside a gradual increase in the length of nights.
It added that Kuwait will enter the “Al-Safri” season, which coincides with the onset of autumn and lasts for 26 days, during the last third of September. This period represents the transitional phase between summer and winter.
The center noted that the “Al-Safri” season experiences fluctuations in temperatures, with chances of sandstorms and dust when winds are active. The sky’s color tends toward yellow, which is linked to the season’s name, and this period also sees increased activity of migratory birds.
The center pointed out that the arrival of “Al-Safri” serves as a harbinger of winter, as actual changes in weather conditions become noticeable, especially at night and during dawn, with persistent humidity and fog formation in the early morning hours.
Astronomically, September features seven prominent phenomena. It begins on the 6th with a conjunction of the Moon and Mars, where the Moon passes 3 degrees north of Mars. The pair can be seen in the pre-dawn sky over Kuwait City starting at 1:00 a.m., before disappearing with the dawn.
On September 9, the Moon conjuncts with Jupiter, passing 50 arcminutes north of the planet. The pair can be observed in the pre-dawn sky over Kuwait City starting at 3:00 a.m.
On September 11, the crescent of the month Rabi’ al-Thani 1448 is born, occurring when the new Moon aligns with the Sun.
On September 14, the Moon conjuncts with Venus, passing 31 arcminutes north of the planet. The pair appears in the sky over Kuwait City around 6:00 p.m., at an altitude of 15 degrees above the southwestern horizon.
Venus reaches its maximum brightness of the year 2026 on September 22, appearing prominently in the Kuwaiti sky, reaching an altitude of 32 degrees above the horizon at sunset.
On September 23, the autumnal equinox occurs, with the Sun’s rays striking the equator almost perpendicularly, and day and night lengths becoming nearly equal, marking the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Moon becomes full on September 26, positioned in the lunar mansion “Al-Risha.” The full Moon in September is known as the “Harvest Moon” due to its proximity to the autumnal equinox, a name historically associated with indigenous tribes in America.
On September 27, the lengths of night and day in Kuwait approach 12 hours, despite the autumnal equinox having occurred on September 23. This discrepancy is due to the method of calculating sunrise and sunset times and the effects of atmospheric refraction, before nights gradually begin to lengthen.
