Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Wednesday, December 22nd.  The sun will rise at 8:16.  It’ll be up for 8 hours and 48 minutes, setting at 5:05.   The moon, 1 day past full, will rise at 6:49 this evening.

Lets take a look at the bright planets for Christmas week. Mars is very low and lost in the evening twilight.  The planet Jupiter is up in the southwestern sky in the early evening.  It is a spectacular sight in a telescope with its four satellites, shifting their positions from night to night, and the cloud bands running in the directions of the satellites.  Jupiter is the brightest starlight object in the evening, becoming our Christmas Star this year .  It’s located below the Circlet in Pisces now and will set at 12:13 a.m.  The ringed planet Saturn will rise at 1:53 a.m. in the east southeast.  It’s located in the constellation Virgo this year.  It’s rings are opening nicely for telescopic observers.  Venus is brilliant in the morning sky and will rise at 4:23 a.m. in the east southeast.

* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan.  They may be different for your location.