Late September is shaping up to be one of the best stargazing stretches of the year, and you don’t need a telescope or any special equipment to enjoy it. 

All five of the “naked-eye” planets will be visible at various times this week, all leading up to September’s full moon, the Harvest Moon. 

Right now: Venus is slipping away fast

Venus has been dominating the evening sky all month, and it hit peak brilliance on Sept. 18. It's still visible low in the west for about 45 minutes after sunset, but it's not going to last much longer. 

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As September winds down, Venus slips lower and lower into the sunset glow before disappearing from the evening sky altogether. If you haven't caught it yet, this is your last real window for a while.

Jupiter and Mars share pre-dawn sky

Look east before sunrise and you'll find Jupiter blazing bright and white. It's one of the steadiest, most reliable objects in the night sky all month long. 

Reddish Mars is nearby, though noticeably fainter. Mars has been gradually gaining a bit of brightness as the month goes on, making it slightly easier to pick out than it was earlier in the summer.

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Mars lines up with the twins, Mercury sneaks into view

Early risers get a treat this morning. Mars will appear to line up with Castor and Pollux, the two bright "twin" stars of the constellation Gemini. The three will form a neat little row low in the eastern sky before sunrise on Friday, Sept. 25.

That evening, look west just after sunset for Mercury. It's the hardest of the visible planets to catch, because it never strays far from the sun's glare. But on the 25th, it'll be sitting far enough from the horizon's glow to spot with the naked eye for a short window right after sunset. 

Harvest Moon shines with Saturn just below it

Saturday is the night the month has been building to. September’s full moon reaches peak fullness at 12:49 p.m. EDT Sept. 26. 

It'll rise that evening with a deep yellow-orange glow while near the horizon, appearing particularly large.

The moon is traditionally called the Harvest Moon, as it's the full moon that falls closest to the fall equinox. 

And it won't be the only naked eye astronomy target on display that evening. Just below the moon, Saturn will be visible as a dazzling star-like object about 6 degrees away. You’ll be able to spot it roughly one hour after moonrise. 

While Saturn will be visible to the naked eye, if you do have a telescope, you will be able to see its iconic rings and its brightest moons, Rhea, Tethys, Dione and Titan, extending in a line away from it.

So between now and Saturday, you've got a shot at viewing five planets and a Harvest Moon, all visible without any special equipment. All you need now are clear skies!