Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 18th.  The sun will rise at 7:25.  It’ll be up for 12 hours and 21 minutes, setting at 7:46.   The moon, 1 day before full, will set at 7:38 tomorrow morning.

Time again to check out the bright planets.  Saturn and Venus will be closest together tonight, low in the southwest after sunset.  Dimmer Saturn will be on top.  Binoculars may be needed to spot it.  Venus will set at 9:13 p.m., while Saturn will set at 9:32.  We will soon lose Saturn in the sun’s glare for a few months.  The rest of the planetary action will be in the morning sky.  The giant planet Jupiter will rise at 1:22 a.m. in the east northeast.  It’s cruising against the stars of Gemini this viewing season.  By 6 a.m it will be high in the east southeast, the brightest object in that direction.  Mars will rise at 3:39 a.m.  also in then east northeast.  It is a bright reddish second magnitude star passing through Cancer now.

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

Addendum

Venus and Saturn at 8:30 p.m. on September 18, 2013. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter and Mars against the constellations of Winter at 6 a.m. on September 18, 2013