Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Thursday, February 3rd.  The sun will rise at 7:59.  It’ll be up for 9 hours and 54 minutes, setting at 5:53.   The moon, 1 day past new, will set at 6:51 this evening.

With winter half over, I’m looking forward to spring.  The night sky gives us a tantalizing look at some of the spring constellations.  Looking to the northeast is the Big Dipper standing on the tip of the handle.  However it’s not an official constellation, but the hind ed of Ursa Major, the Great Bear, which is.  While the Big Dipper never sets, being close to the north pole of the sky, and the bear mostly is, it is highest in the sky on spring evenings.  A line through the bowl of the dipper to the right will arrive at another spring constellation, Leo the lion, rising in the east.  Leo has a backward question mark for his head and mane, with the bright star Regulus at the base.  Below left is a triangle of stars, his hind end.  Check each clear night as Leo rises higher and higher.

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