Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Wednesday, July 30th.  The sun rises at 6:26.  It’ll be up for 14 hours and 43 minutes, setting at 9:10.   The moon, half way from new to first quarter, will set at 10:40 this evening.

It’s Wednesday and once again time to look at the bright planets for this week.  Reddish Mars is in Virgo in the southwest as darkness falls.  It’s 109 million miles (176 million km) away now, over twice as far as it was last April, and will set at 12:17 a.m.  Saturn will be low in the south-southwest as darkness falls, in the faint constellation of Libra the scales.  It will set at 1:11 a.m.  Saturn’s in perfect position for viewing with a small or large telescopes to see those fabulous rings and its large moon Titan.  Somewhat larger telescopes can spot some smaller moons closer in.  Brilliant Venus will rise in the east northeast

The Moon, Mars and Saturn at 10 p.m. on July 30, 2014. The bright star right of Mars is Spica, and the bright star left of Saturn is Antares.  Created using Stellarium.

The Moon as seen in binoculars at 10 p.m. on July 30, 2014. Created using Stellarium.

Saturn and its moons on the evening of July 30, 2014. Created using Stellarium.

Venus and the winter constellations rising at 5:30 a.m. on July 31, 2014. Created using Stellarium.

at 4:33 a.m. in morning twilight.  Mercury will rise at 5:36 and be nearly impossible to spot below Venus.

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

Addendum