06/05/2013 – Ephemeris – Then there were two… planets that is, in the west
Ephemeris for Wednesday, June 5th. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 25 minutes, setting at 9:23. The moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 4:43 tomorrow morning. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 5:58.
The early evening will be taken up with Venus and Mercury low in the west northwest at about 10:15 p.m. Mercury is above and left of Venus by about 5 degrees, about half the width of your fist at arms length. Jupiter is out of it now, setting at 10:07. We’ll see it next in late July in the morning sky. Venus will set at 10:49, and Mercury will set at 11:16 p.m. Holding forth in the south will be Saturn this evening, the brightest star-like object in the constellation Virgo appearing yellowish to the left of the extremely blue-white star Spica. Saturn will pass due south at 11:01 p.m., and will set at 4:19 tomorrow morning. I’ll talk about star and planet colors on tomorrow’s program.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum

Mercury and Venus seen in the west northwest after sunset. Here it’s 10:15 p.m. on June 5, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
