During September 2026, the sky above the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve will host 14 diverse astronomical phenomena, including conjunctions between the Moon and planets or stars, lunar phases, the autumnal equinox, and Neptune’s opposition—creating a sequential celestial display that reinforces the reserve’s status as a destination for astronomical observation and astrophotography, particularly at the “Dark Sky” site in the Great Nafud Desert.
The month’s events begin on September 1 with a conjunction of Venus and the star Spica (Al-Simak al-A’zal), followed by a Moon–Pleiades conjunction on the 3rd, the Moon’s last quarter on the 4th, and a Moon–Mars conjunction on the 7th.
The sequence continues with a Moon–Jupiter conjunction on September 9, new Moon on the 11th, a Moon–Venus conjunction on the 14th, a Moon–Antares (Qalb al-Aqrab) conjunction on the 17th, and the Moon’s first quarter on the 18th.
In the latter half of the month, the reserve’s sky will witness the autumnal equinox on September 23, Neptune’s opposition on the 26th, and—on the 27th—a conjunction of the Moon and Saturn coinciding with the full Moon, before the month concludes with another Moon–Pleiades conjunction on the 30th.
The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve offers an ideal environment for astronomical observation, benefiting from its vast area and low levels of light pollution at several sites, enabling clearer viewing of celestial bodies and phenomena and supporting astrophotography and space-science-related activities.
These attributes, together with the reserve’s natural diversity, help strengthen its presence among destinations suited to eco-tourism and astro-tourism, while raising awareness of the importance of dark skies and the conservation of natural environments that allow observation of astronomical phenomena away from artificial lighting.
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