Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Wednesday, October 29th.  The sun will rise at 8:16.  It’ll be up for 10 hours and 19 minutes, setting at 6:35.   The moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 11:41 this evening.

Tonight Mars will be low in the southwest at 8 p.m. below and right of the Moon in the constellation of Sagittarius, and will set at 9:35 p.m.  The sky will stay devoid of bright planets until Jupiter rises at 1:33 a.m.  Jupiter is visible this morning in twilight in the south-southeast along with the brighter stars of winter, a preview of colder evenings to come.  The planet Mercury makes its autumn morning appearance for the next week or so, rising in the east-southeast at 6:38.  By 7:20 or so it should be visible low in the sky.  It’s greatest western elongation will be this Saturday, and it will pass perihelion, its closest to the Sun, this Sunday, so despite its greatest elongation, it’s less than a 19 degree angle from the Sun.

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

Ephemeris

Mars, the Moon and the setting stars of summer at 8 p.m. on October 29, 2014. Created using Stellarium.

The Moon as it would appear in binoculars at 8 p.m. October 29, 2014. Created using Stellarium.

The morning planets and constellations at 7:30 a.m. October 30, 2014. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter and its moons as seen in a telescope at 7:30 a.m. October 30, 2014. Io is behind Jupiter. Created using Stellarium.