Equinox Along Oregon, Washington, Coast: Say Goodbye to Summer, Saturn's Rings

Published 09/17/25 at 6:25 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Portland, Oregon) – Summer, longer days and even Saturn's rings: you can say goodbye to all of it this month. (Photo OMSI / Starry Night Pro)

Jim Todd, astronomy expert at Portland's OMSI, said Saturn's rings have already sort of “disappeared” - at least to our point of view. Then there's the last day of summer: that comes in the following week with a sharp, definite dividing line, at least on paper.

Todd said the seasonal shift from summer to fall will officially occur on Monday, September 22 at 11:19 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time, marked by the autumnal equinox. This astronomical event signals the moment when the sun’s rays fall directly over the equator, resulting in nearly equal lengths of day and night across the globe.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the equinox marks the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.

“The Sun’s rays continue to make their journey south, so hours of darkness will be longer than daylight. This is why it's called an equinox, a Latin word meaning 'equal,' “ Todd said.

The period between the September equinox and the winter solstice on December 21 spans approximately 90 days of autumn.

Yachats at the end of the day.

Locally, Portland will experience near-equal day and night on September 25, with sunrise at 7:01 a.m. and sunset at 7:02 p.m. However, due to atmospheric refraction and the time it takes for the sun to fully rise and set - especially at 45 degrees north latitude - daylight slightly exceeds 12 hours. These factors contribute to the equinox day being marginally longer than night.

The equinox is observed in various cultural and religious traditions around the world, yet in Oregon and the coastline it has its own special vibe.

“Locally, modern Harvest Moon festivals with a variety of concerts, farmers markets, beer- and wine-tasting, and craft fairs,” Todd said. “The wonderful changing fall color of the trees in the Pacific Northwest is expected for the rest of September and well into October this year. This is a perfect opportunity to align sundial as the Sun rises due east and sets due west on the equinox.”

See the galaxy from Bandon - Manuela Durson Fine Arts

Above the Oregon and Washington coast – as well as the rest of the two states – things get interesting in the night skies. For one, you'll start to see the moon bumping up against Venus in the hours just before dawn.

For those wanting to go a little farther out there, Saturn does something curious.

Todd said Saturn will reach opposition on Sunday, September 21, 2025, as Earth moves directly between the sun and the ringed planet. The event marks Saturn’s closest approach to Earth this year - approximately 794 million miles (8.55 astronomical units). It's also the planet's brightest appearance, shining at magnitude +0.61.

Following opposition, Saturn will remain prominent in the evening sky for the remainder of 2025 before gradually fading into the sunset glare by February 2026.

Look east from coastal towns like Westport, Long Beach, Cannon Beach or Pacific City and you may see Venus with the moon rising. (Photo Sept 17, 3 a.m. - Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

During opposition, Saturn rises in the east at sunset and remains visible until dawn. This occurs because the sun, Earth, and Saturn form a straight line, with Earth positioned between the two. The result is a fully lit planetary disk, ideal for observation.

“The earth passed through the plane of Saturn’s rings in March 2025,” Todd said. “A phenomenon called a 'ring plane crossing,' where Earth passes through the plane of Saturn's rings, making them appear almost invisible from our perspective due to their thinness.

“This event happens roughly every 13 to 15 years, and while the rings aren't actually disappearing, they become so thin from our viewpoint that small telescopes can't readily see them for a few weeks around this time.”

As of September, the rings remain tilted just 2 degrees relative to Earth’s viewpoint, continuing to present a mostly obscured profile. Nighttime in Newport.

“You can see Saturn’s rings through good binoculars mounted on a tripod, will reveal Saturn as a bright oval-shaped disk,” Todd said. “Any small backyard telescope will easily show the rings and the ring's shadow. For stargazers and astrophotographers, it is an ideal time to view and photograph the superior planets.”

You can learn more about Saturn and the current night sky in OMSI Planetarium’s show, Starry Night Live!. For a schedule, go to OMSI.edu.

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