Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Ash Wednesday, Wednesday, February 13th.  The sun will rise at 7:45.  It’ll be up for 10 hours and 23 minutes, setting at 6:08.   The moon, 3 days past new, will set at 10:23 this evening.

Let’s check out the planets for this week.  Mercury can be seen low in the southwest.  Mercury will set at 7:41 p.m.  This is a good apparition of Mercury for us in the northern hemisphere.  Binoculars will help you locate it low in the sky.  Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus and moves from the high southeast to the high southwest during the evening.  It will transit or pass due south at 7:25 p.m, and will set at 2:56 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 12:34 a.m. in the east southeast.  It’s located in eastern Virgo. Saturn will pass due south at 5:44 a.m.  It will rise before midnight by the end of the month.

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

Addendum

Mercury and the moon at 7:15 p.m. on February 13, 2013. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter and the winter constellations at 9 p.m. on February 13, 2013. Created using Stellarium.

Saturn and the late spring and early summer constellations, as seen in the evening, but at 6 a.m. February 14, 2013.