05/14/2013 – Ephemeris – How to find two bright spring stars.
Ephemeris for Tuesday, May 14th. Today the sun will be up for 14 hours and 47 minutes, setting at 9:02. The moon, 4 days before first quarter, will set at 12:48 tomorrow morning. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:14.
The Big Dipper, now pretty much overhead points to several stars and constellations. It’s handle points to two bright stars. First we follow the arc of the handle to the bright orange star Arcturus, the 4th brightest night time star. The reason I say night time is that the sun is a star also but by definition is not out at night. The arc to Arcturus is a how to find Arcturus and a clue to its name. Arcturus, high in the east southeast, lies at the base point of the kite shaped constellation of Boötes the herdsman. From Arcturus, straighten out the arc to a spike and one soon arrives at Spica a blue-white star in Virgo the virgin, now low in the southeast. Saturn is to its left this year. Spica is also sometimes pronounced “Speeka”.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
My program that shows the arc to Arcturus and spike to Spica.
A more realistic view of the same part of the sky. Created using Stellarium.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 