Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Friday, May 24th.  Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 7 minutes, setting at 9:13.   The moon, 1 day before full, will set at 6:31 tomorrow morning.  Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:04.

This holiday weekend the planet grouping of Jupiter, Venus and Mercury reach their most compact.  The group is collapsing rapidly, and the planets will be at their most compact Sunday night the 26th.  For a preview of the planet’s motion go to my blog at bobmoler.wordpress.com.  As far as any astronomical significance to this alignment of the planets, there isn’t any.  Astrologers make a big deal of such groupings, called conjunctions but astronomers have long since discarded astrology as not having any scientific value.   Conjunctions like this are reasonably rare and rather remarkable in appearance.  It is for this reason that we track and observe them.  The heavens are filled with beauty,

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

Addendum

Jupiter, Venus and Mercury at 10 p.m. on May 24, 2013. Created using Stellarium.

Dance of the planets Jupiter, Venus and Mercury, May 21 thru May 28, 2013. Created using Stellarium. Click on the image to start animation if it has stopped.