Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Wednesday, November 5th.  The sun will rise at 7:25.  It’ll be up for 10 hours and 1 minute, setting at 5:26.   The moon, 1 day before full, will set at 6:56 tomorrow morning.

Tonight Mars will be low in the southwest at 7 p.m.  It will set at 8:32 p.m.  The sky will stay devoid of bright planets until Jupiter rises at 12:13 a.m.  Jupiter is visible this morning in twilight an hour earlier than last week, in the south-southeast along with the brighter stars of winter, a preview of colder evenings to come.  The planet Mercury is making its autumn morning appearance now, rising in the east-southeast at 5:48 a.m.  By 6:20 or so it should be visible low in the sky.  Mercury is brightening as moves away from us and its phase becomes fuller.  Being close in to the sun its distance doesn’t vary by much so its brightness is governed more by its phase.  Its separation from the sun is now an 18 degree angle and slowly decreasing.

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

Addendum

Mars and the bright Moon at 7 p.m. on November 5, 2014. Created using Stellarium.

The nearly full Moon as it would be seen in binoculars at 7 p.m. on November 5, 2014. Created using Stellarium.

Panorama of the morning sky at 6 a.m. with Jupiter and the just risen Mercury, with the Moon hanging on in the west. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter and moons as seen in a telescope at 6 a.m., November 6, 2014. The moon Io, visible earlier in the morning, is hiding behind the planet. Created using Stellarium.

Mercury low in the east at 7 a.m., November 6, 2014. Note its altitude is 11 degrees above the flat horizon. Also shown is Mercury’s orbit. Created using Stellarium.