Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Wednesday, May 11th.  The sun rises at 6:19.  It’ll be up for 14 hours and 39 minutes, setting at 8:58.   The moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 3:14 tomorrow morning.

It’s Wednesday and time again to take a look at the whereabouts of the bright planets.  The ringed planet Saturn will be visible in the southeast as it gets dark.   It’s near the bright star Spica to its lower left.  Spica has a blue tinge, while Saturn is yellowish. It will cross the meridian due south at 11:11 p.m. and will set at 5:04 a.m.   The morning planet traffic jam continues.  Rising first will be Jupiter at 5:19 on the east.  Venus rises at 5:25.  Followed by Mars at 5:30 and Mercury at 5:31.  Unless we have very clear skies and you have a very flat eastern horizon, you’d have to wait until maybe 5:45 to try to spot them.  It will take binoculars to first locate Venus,  Jupiter the second brightest will be nearby, followed by nearly impossible to spot Mars and Mercury.

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

Addendum

The morning planets this month at 2 day intervals.

Planet Jam May 2011 animation