Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Wednesday, February 19th.  The sun will rise at 7:36.  It’ll be up for 10 hours and 40 minutes, setting at 6:16.   The moon, 3 days before last quarter, will rise at 11:23 this evening.

Let’s take our weekly look at the planets.  Jupiter will be in the southeastern sky as darkness falls tonight.  It’s cruising against the stars of Gemini now.  It will pass due south at 9:29 p.m., and will set at 5:12 a.m. in the west-northwest.  Reddish Mars is in Virgo now and above and left of the bright star Spica, which it now outshines.  Mars will rise at 10:54 p.m. and will appear above the moon when it rises a half an hour later.  It will pass due south at 4:26 a.m.  Saturn will rise at 1:13 a.m. in the east-southeast.   It’s seen against the stars of Libra the scales this year.  Venus will rise at 5:10 tomorrow morning, and shines brightly in the southeast before sunrise.  It’s in Sagittarius, left of its Teapot shape of stars.

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

Addendum

Jupiter and the constellations of winter at 9 p.m. February 18, 2014. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter at 9 p.m. on February 18, 2014. Created using Cartes du Ciel.

Mars and the Moon at midnight on February 20, 2014. Created using Cartes du Ciel.

The Moon at midnight on February 20, 2014. Created using Stellarium.

The morning planets at 6:30 a.m. February 20, 2014, including the orbit of Venus. Created using Stellarium.

Venus will reach the end of the red loop, its orbit as seen from Earth, on March 22nd.  Of course we and Venus are moving, and so the apparent position of Venus will change also by the Earth’s motion.

Saturn and its moons at 6:30, February 20, 2014. Of the moons, Titan will be the only one visible in small telescopes. Created using Stellarium.

Venus through a telescope. The planet is getting smaller and its crescent is getting fatter as it moves away from the Earth. This image is for 6:30 a.m. February 20, 2014.Created using Stellarium.