Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Wednesday, November 12th.  The sun will rise at 7:35.  It’ll be up for 9 hours and 42 minutes, setting at 5:17.   The moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 10:38 this evening.

Tonight Mars will be low in the southwest at 7 p.m.  It will set at 8:30 p.m.  Jupiter now rises before midnight at 11:45 p.m.  The best telescopic views will have to wait a couple of hours.  Better to view Jupiter in the morning.  The planet Mercury is making its autumn morning appearance now, rising in the east-southeast at 6:19 a.m.  By 6:45 or so it should be visible low in the eastern sky, below and left of the star Spica, of about the same brightness, but has a bluish tinge in binoculars.  Mercury is brightening as moves away from us and its phase appears 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 down to 14.5 degrees.

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

Addendum

Mars and setting summer constellations at 7 p.m. on November 12, 2014. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter and the Moon rising at midnight on November 13, 2014. Created using Stellarium.

The Moon as seen in binoculars at midnight November 13, 2014. Created using Stellarium.

The morning sky including the Moon, Jupiter and Mercury at 6:30 a.m. on November 13, 2014.

Jupiter and moons through a telescope at 6:30 a.m. November 13, 2014. Created using Stellarium.

Mercury in twilight showing also its orbit. No, you won’t see that in the real sky. Mercury is sliding back from its peak a couple of weeks ago. 7 a.m. on November 13, 2014. Created using Stellarium.