Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Wednesday, March 21st.  The sun will rise at 7:42.  It’ll be up for 12 hours and 13 minutes, setting at 7:56.   The moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 7:18 tomorrow morning.

Let’s see what’s happening with the bright planets for this week.  Mercury will pass between the earth and the sun, and will enter the morning sky this afternoon, so is invisible.  Venus and Jupiter are separating in the western sky after sunset.  Jupiter is below of Venus, the brighter planet. Jupiter will set at 11:20 p.m. followed by Venus at 12:05 a.m.  Mars is up in the southeast in the evening with its unmistakable bright reddish color.  It’s in the constellation Leo the lion now.  It is 65.2 million miles and moving away.    Mars will pass due south at 12:23 a.m. and will be setting in the west at 7:15 a.m. Saturn will rise at 10:01 p.m. just to the left of the bright star Spica in the east southeast.  We have 4 bright planets visible in the evening.

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

Addendum

The planets visible at 10:30 p.m. March 21, 2012. Created using Stellarium.

Scott Anttila was photographing the red planet instead of drinking green beer on Srt. Patrick’s day night.  Here is the result.

Mars on March 17, 2012 at 10:15 p.m. edt. Photo by Scott Anttila.

This I  generally consider the bland side of Mars.  However the white blotch near the center appears to be clouds over the largest mountain in the solar system Olympus Mons.  I’m willing to bet the three white blotches to the right of it are clouds over the three Tharsis volcanoes, from top to bottom:  Ascraeus Mons, Pavonis Mons and Arsia Mons.