Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Wednesday, September 21st.  The sun will rise at 7:28.  It’ll be up for 12 hours and 14 minutes, setting at 7:42.   The moon, 1 day past last quarter, will rise at 1:37 tomorrow morning.

It’s Wednesday and time again to take a look at the whereabouts of the bright planets.  The planet Venus is rather close to the sun in the evening setting 26 minutes after the sun and not really visible. The ringed planet Saturn also hidden in the bright twilight is setting 51 minutes after the sun.  Jupiter is now the prominent planet of the evening sky after it rises at 9:13 p.m. in the east northeast and is seen against the stars of the constellation Aries now.  In a telescope it will be accompanied by its 4 brightest moons, and as the planet rises higher Jupiter’s image becomes sharper, and its cloud bands will become visible.   Mars will rise at 2:25 a.m also in the east northeast and is now between the constellations of Gemini and Cancer.

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