Bootleg Astronomers

The Bootleg Star Party Registration Form is available HERE (pre-registration deadline is September 6, 2025) 12th)

*** Due to the number of people doing imaging at the Bootleg Star Parties, Bootleg Management is indicating that Green Lasers will not be permitted starting one hour after sunset ***

2	Dwarf planet 1 Ceres at opposition at 4h UT. Mag. 7.6.
3	Mercury 1.7° NNE of Spica at 0h UT (14° from Sun, evening sky). Mags. −0.4 and 1.0.
4	International Observe the Moon Night Join the global celebration: moon.nasa.gov/observe
6	Moon near Saturn at 1h UT (evening sky). Mag. 0.7.
7	Full Moon at 3:48 UT.
8	Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) at perihelion. Mag. 9.4 (est.) • C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) (Orbit & Observations)
8	Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 12:50 UT (distance 359,819km; angular size 33.2').
9	Pluto at southernmost declination (−23.5°) at 21h UT (evening sky). Mag. 14.5.
10	Moon near the Pleiades at 6h UT (morning sky).
12	Moon near M35 Cluster at 12h UT (morning sky).
13	Moon near Castor at 18h UT (morning sky).
13	Last Quarter Moon at 18:13 UT.
14	Moon near Pollux at 0h UT (morning sky).
14	Moon near Jupiter at 1h UT (morning sky). Mag. −2.2.
15	Moon near Beehive Cluster (M44) at 2h UT (morning sky).
16	Moon near Regulus at 19h UT (morning sky).
19	Moon near Venus at 19h UT (19° from Sun, morning sky). Mag. −3.9.
19	Mercury 2.0° SSW of Mars at 21h UT (22° from Sun, evening sky). Mags. −0.2 and 1.5.
20	Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) makes its closest approach to Earth (0.26 AU). Mag. 7.1 (est.) • C/2025 R2 (SWAN) (Wikipedia) • C/2025 R2 (SWAN) (Orbit & Observations)
21	Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) makes its closest approach to Earth (0.60 AU). Mag. 3.2 (est.) • C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) (Wikipedia) • C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) (Orbit & Observations)
21	Orionid meteor shower peaks. Arises from the debris field of Comet Halley. Active from October 2 to November 7. Produces very fast (67 km/sec), generally faint meteors (10−20 per hour). Radiant located near Orion's club asterism. • Orionids (Wikipedia) • Orionids (American Meteor Society) • 2025 Meteor Shower Calendar (PDF) (International Meteor Organization)
21	New Moon at 12:25 UT. Start of lunation 1272.
23	Moon, Mercury and Mars within 4.3° circle at 11h UT (22° from Sun, evening sky). Mags. −0.2 and 1.5.
23	Moon near Mercury at 16h UT (23° from Sun, evening sky). Mag. −0.2
24	Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 0h UT (distance 406,444km; angular size 29.4').
25	Moon near Antares at 2h UT (evening sky).
29	First Quarter Moon at 16:21 UT.
29	Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS at perihelion. Mag. 11.7 (est.) • 3I/ATLAS (Wikipedia) • 3I/ATLAS (Orbit & Observations)
29	Mercury at easternmost elongation at 22h UT (23.9° from Sun, evening sky). Mag. −0.1.

>>> All times Universal Time (UT). USA Central Standard Time = UT-6 hours. (DST = UT-5 hrs,)

Zodiacal Light is caused by sunlight reflected off meteoric dust in the plane of the solar system. Choose a clear, moonless night, about 1-2 hours after sunset, and look for a large triangular-shaped glow extending up from the horizon (along the ecliptic). The best months to view the Zodiacal Light is when the ecliptic is almost vertical at the horizon: March and April (evening) and October-November (morning); times reversed for the southern hemisphere.
• Zodiacal Light (Wikipedia)
• Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)
• Photographing the Zodiacal Light (Weatherscapes)