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September Astronomy: What's in the North Texas sky this month?

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September Astronomy: What's in the North Texas sky this month?


What’s happening in the skies over North Texas this month? September holds some spectacular sights in the night and morning sky. Check out the list below.

THE SUNSET PLANET, VENUS

Venus is visible in the western sky for up to an hour after sunset. On Sept. 4, a waxing crescent moon is less than 5° west of Venus. On Sept. 5, they switch places, now 7° apart with the moon southeast of Venus. The pair is still 5° high 30 minutes after sunset.

By mid-September, Venus remains quite low after sunset. Venus during the last few days of September, stands 7° high in the western sky, 30 minutes after sunset and remains visible for nearly another hour.

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Venus’s distance from the Earth varies from 24 million miles to 162 million miles. Mars averages a distance from the Earth of 140 million miles. The closest recorded distance to Mars from Earth was recorded in August 2003 when the two were 34.8 million miles apart. According to NASA, the two will not be that close again until the year 2237.

MORNING PLANETARY DELIGHT

The pre-dawn hours will feature six planets. Keep an eye on Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Saturn in the hours before sunrise. The planets always appear lying along the ecliptic, which is the plane of our solar system.

Mercury is 48 million miles away from Earth when they are at their closest. The maximum distance between the two when they are on opposite ends of their orbits is 137 million miles.

Mars averages a distance from the Earth of 140 million miles. The closest recorded distance to Mars from Earth was recorded in August 2003 when the two were 34.8 million miles apart. According to NASA, the two will not be that close again until the year 2237.

Jupiter’s distance from the Earth varies from 336 million miles to 600 million miles.

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Saturn’s distance varies from the Earth. When the two are closest, they lie approximately 746 million miles apart, or eight times the distance between the Earth and the Sun.

At their most distant, when they lie on opposite sides of the Sun from one another, they are just over a billion miles apart, or 11 times the distance between the Earth and the Sun.

When Neptune and the Earth line up on the same side of the Sun, at their closest, they are only 2.7 billion miles apart. But when the planets are on opposite sides of the Sun, they can put as many as 2.9 billion miles between them.

FOLLOW THE ZODIACAL LIGHT

During the September pre-dawn, a glow caused by millions of tiny dust particles filling our inner solar system can be observed on clear moonless nights from very dark locations. The zodiacal light is a faint cone-shaped glow. This zodiacal light shines with similar or a bit fainter brilliance than the Milky Way and is located along the ecliptic, which is angled steeply to the horizon this month, improving your chances of seeing it.

The first two weeks of September are the most favorable time this month to view this phenomenon. Any glow from the urban lights of Dallas-Fort Worth will limit the view.

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PEAK OF THE ε-PERSEID METEOR SHOWER

September is not known for its meteor showers. From Sept. 5 through Sept. 2, the ε-Perseids meteor shower runs. Despite their name, these meteors are not caused by the same comet, Swift-Tuttle, as the August Perseids. They simply appear to radiate from the same point in the night sky –which is how meteor showers get their names.

At their maximum, you can look for roughly five ε-Perseids per hour, coming from the general area of the constellation Perseus high in the southwest sky.

The ε-Perseids can be seen from anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere. You are more likely to see them if you have an unobstructed view with clear skies in a very dark place far from any urban light sources.

WHEN DOES THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FLY OVER NORTH TEXAS?

The International Space Station will make flybys across the North Texas sky this month. The ISS appears as a fast-moving star across the night sky.

The ISS rotates around the Earth at a speed of 17,500 mph. The ISS rotates about its center of mass at a rate of about four degrees per minute so that it will complete a full rotation once per orbit. This allows it to keep its belly towards the Earth. One revolution around the planet takes about 90 minutes (16 per day).

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Also, the ISS sits at an altitude of 250 miles above the Earth. By the way, that is 1.32 million feet. Most commercial airplanes fly between 33,000 to 42,000 feet.

A SEPTEMBER FULL MOON

On Sept. 17, there is a full moon.

This full moon is called the “Corn Moon.” It gets its name after the time of year that corn is harvested.

It is also called the “Harvest Moon.” This is given to the full moon closest to the fall equinox. The reason why the Harvest Moon varies is that the lunar month doesn’t line up with the equinox. Usually, the closest full moon occurs in September, but every three years or so, it falls in October. When the October full moon is not a Harvest Moon, it is known as the Hunter’s Moon.

Other names refer to the “Autumn Moon”, “Child Moon”, “Falling Leaves Moon”, “Yellow Leaf Moon” and “Mating Moon.”

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MOON PHASES

Also, check out other phases of the moon this month.

On Sept. 18 at 8:23 a.m. CDT., the moon will be at perigee, it is closest to the Earth for this orbit at 222,007 miles.

On Sept. 5 at 9:53 a.m. CDT., the moon will be at apogee, its farthest from the Earth for this orbit at 252,408 miles.

THE SEPTEMBER EQUINOX

On Sept. 22 the seasons officially change. The September Equinox is also called the Autumnal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the Vernal Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere.

It signals the point where the Earth experiences roughly equal lengths of day and night. Also, this will mark the beginning of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere.

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With the passing of the September Equinox, the Earth has traveled 438 million miles around the Sun. The Earth is moving at an orbital speed of 66,616 mph. This speed is fast enough to cover the planet’s diameter in 7 minutes and the distance to the Moon in 4 hours.

THE TRANSIT OF A JUPITER MOON

Ganymede, Jupiter and the solar system’s largest moon will transit across the planet this month.

The moon’s huge shadow crosses Jupiter’s polar region from about 1:45 a.m. to 3:40 a.m. CDT. on Sept. 28.

Please enjoy these events happening in the night sky this month. Until then…Texans, keep looking up!

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Texas A&M Forward Transfer Seemingly on Visit to See Lady Vols Basketball | Rocky Top Insider

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Texas A&M Forward Transfer Seemingly on Visit to See Lady Vols Basketball | Rocky Top Insider


fatmata janneh lady vols basketball
Photo via Texas A&M Athletics

Lady Vols basketball is looking to add more pieces to its 2026-27 roster with high-level experience. After completing her junior season at Texas A&M, Fatmata Janneh has emerged as a Tennessee target for her final year of eligibility. According to her Instagram story on Sunday night, she is in Knoxville.

With the Aggies a year ago, the 6-foot-2 forward averaged 11.4 points per game on 43.3% shooting from the field. She also showed off an ability to hit from range, posting 1.1 makes per game on 33% shooting from three.

Perhaps Janneh’s biggest strength is her rebounding, though. She ripped down 9.7 boards per contest, good for the fifth-most in the SEC. This featured 2.6 rebounds on the offensive end per outing.

Janneh also averaged 1.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.4 blocks per game. She appeared in 27 games, starting in each.

More From RTI: How Watching The NCAA Tournament Drew Terrence Hill Jr. To Tennessee Basketball

Janneh started her career with a pair of seasons at St. Peter’s. As a sophomore, she averaged a double-double, posting 18.2 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. This made her a sought-after transfer in the portal before landing at Texas A&M as the nation’s leading defensive rebounder. As a freshman, she averaged 11.0 points and 8.0 rebounds.

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The forward is from London, England, attending Barking Abbey Sixth Form for her prep ball. She would be the second player from England to join the Tennessee roster if she committed. UT also added the commitment of incoming freshman and former Boston College signee Irene Oboavwoduo this offseason.

So far, Caldwell and the Lady Vols have landed five transfers in this portal cycle. This features Liberty guard Avery Mills, Northern Arizona guard Naomi White, Stanford forward Harper Peterson and Georgia forward Zhen Craft and guard Rylie Theuerkauf.

Tennessee will also roster a pair of incoming freshmen. Four-star recruit and top-50 prospect Gabby Minus is staying true to her signing despite the roster overhaul and assistant coaching changes, along with the addition of Oboavwoduo.





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Texas needs at least $174 billion to avoid water crisis, state says

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Texas needs at least 4 billion to avoid water crisis, state says


AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) — Texas communities will need to spend $174 billion in the next 50 years to avert a severe water crisis, a new state analysis revealed Thursday. That’s more than double the $80 billion projected four years ago, when the Texas Water Development Board last passed a state water plan.

The three-member board presiding over the agency authorized the highly anticipated draft blueprint Thursday, the first administrative step toward adopting the water development board’s plans for the next 50 years. The plan, released every five years, encompasses the projects that 16 regional water planning groups in Texas said are the most urgent, water development board officials said. 

The board’s latest estimates come as the state’s water supply faces numerous threats. Growing communities across Texas are scrambling to secure water, keep up with construction costs and cope with a yearslong drought. This week, Corpus Christi officials said the city may be just months away from declaring a water emergency. Meanwhile, other rural cities by the Coastal Bend are rapidly drilling wells to avoid a crisis. Residents in North Texas have also been bracing for groundwater shortages.

In an effort to restrain the crisis, lawmakers last year called an election in which voters approved a $20 billion boost for communities to use on water-related expenses. The water development board’s estimate shows that what lawmakers proposed on the ballot falls dramatically short of the needed cash, experts said.

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“What this number tells me at the end of the day is if we don’t get serious about (funding water projects), there are going to be serious consequences for Texas,” said Perry Fowler, executive director of the Texas Water Infrastructure Network. “Even with the billion-dollar-a-year plan kicking in, it’s not going to be enough to offset the costs of the projects that are going to have to be executed.”

The new estimate accounts for 3,000 projects, from regional infrastructure upgrades to smaller endeavors such as drilling new water wells. Texas’ water supplies are expected to drop by roughly 10% between 2030 and 2080, according to the water plan. In that same time frame, the maximum amount of water communities can draw is also expected to decline by 9%.

The 80-page plan notes approximately 6,700 recommended strategies that would add water to the state’s dwindling portfolio. The recommendations — which are not accounted for in the cost — include developing new supplies from aquifer storage and recovery, brackish groundwater, desalination and recycled water. It also calls for water conservation.

The report suggested that if Texas does not implement the plans and recommendations, the state is one severe drought away from an estimated $91 billion in economic damages in 2030.

The state’s plan attributes a variety of reasons for the bigger price tag, such as higher costs of construction due to inflation, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply chains, and a growing backlog of water supply projects.

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“There’s a plan that can meet our needs,” said Matt Nelson, deputy executive administrator for the Office of Planning at the water development board, adding that they take their cues from the regional planning groups. “These are local projects that folks need to implement; they’re needed regardless of how they’re funded. It’s important to remember these are not top-down projects or state projects.”

Experts told The Texas Tribune that the board’s estimate is only a fraction of what Texas communities will need to ensure they have water in 50 years’ time, saying growth and development are outpacing the state’s ability to keep up.

“This is a bigger water plan in terms of volume strategies and capital costs compared to anything we’ve ever seen before,” said Jeremy Mazur, the director of infrastructure and natural resources policy at think tank Texas 2036.

Mazur suggested that the $174 billion only covers water supply projects and does not account for updating aging infrastructure, adding that the actual price could amount to a quarter of a trillion dollars.

“There’s a substantial magnitude with regard to the capital investment needed to both fix our aging and current systems and potentially develop the water infrastructure, water supply projects that we need.“

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The report largely confirmed what many water experts have warned regarding threats to the state’s water supply, said Sarah Kirkle, director of policy at the Texas Water Association.

“Population growth, extreme weather, and economic development needs are all increasing demands on our infrastructure, and the state is going to need more water, sooner,” Kirkle said. “This is all while water projects are becoming more costly and complex because the easiest and cheapest local projects have already been developed.”

Fowler, with the infrastructure network, said he expects the Texas Legislature to take up the issue next year, when lawmakers meet for the 90th legislative session. He said the state should take a bigger role in ensuring that communities can afford their respective water projects.

“It’s going to have to be a top-down priority, there’s no way around it,” he said. “The challenges are so immense that it’s going to take all hands on deck.”

Texas residents have until the end of May to comment on the proposal. Water development board officials must adopt it by January 2027.

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Alejandra Martinez contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at www.texastribune.org. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans – and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.



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Co‑worker confesses to killing missing North Texas man and stealing his car, police say

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Co‑worker confesses to killing missing North Texas man and stealing his car, police say



A North Texas man reported missing earlier this week was found dead Friday, and police say a co‑worker has confessed to fatally shooting him and stealing his car.

The suspect, Gregory D. Lewis, 34, remains in custody and faces a forthcoming capital murder charge, according to the Fort Worth Police Department. 

Lewis is accused of killing 31‑year‑old Thomas King, who had been last seen in his Taco Casa work uniform. King was reported missing on Tuesday after failing to return home Monday from the fast‑food restaurant in the 1100 block of Bridgewood Drive.

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Car found at Arlington motel 

Police said King’s car was found at the Quality Inn on I‑20 in Arlington, and surveillance video showed Lewis arriving in King’s vehicle shortly after King left work. 

Detectives identified the man in the video and arrested him on unrelated charges.

  Gregory D. Lewis, 34

Tarrant County Jail

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Body discovered on Fort Worth’s East Side 

King’s body was located on Friday in an open field on Fort Worth’s East Side, authorities said. 

According to police, Lewis confessed to shooting the victim and stealing his car. 

Medical examiner review pending 

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. 

CBS News Texas has reached out to Taco Casa for comment.

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