Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Wednesday, December 19th.  The sun will rise at 8:15.  It’ll be up for 8 hours and 49 minutes, setting at 5:04.   The moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 12:48 tomorrow morning.

Let’s check out the planets for this week.  Mars can be seen low in the southwest.  It will set at 7:04 p.m. The same as last week because sunrise times are increasing and Mars is starting to move northward.  The sun will eventually catch up with it.  Even before you can spot Mars, bright Jupiter will be visible in the east.  Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus in the southeast in the evening.  It will transit or pass due south at 11:15 p.m, and will set at 6:47 a.m.  Jupiter is a wonderful sight in telescopes with its cloud bands and its moons which change positions each night.  Saturn will be the next planet to rise at 4 a.m. in the east southeast.  It’s located in eastern Virgo. Venus will rise at 6:20 and is below and left of Saturn.

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

Addendum

Jupiter and the winter stars in the east southeast at 9 p.m. December 19, 2012. Created using Stellarium.

Saturn, Venus and the star Spica low in the east southeast at 6:45 a.m., December 20, 2012. Created using Stellarium.