Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Wednesday, March 11th.  The Sun will rise at 8:02.  It’ll be up for 11 hours and 40 minutes, setting at 7:43.   The Moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 1:42 tomorrow morning.

Lets take a look at the bright planets for this week.  Brilliant Venus is in the west by 8:30 p.m. It will set at 10:31 p.m.  Mars appears below and right of it.  The Red Planet will set tonight at 9:47.  Jupiter will appear In the southeastern sky in the evening.  It will set at 6:41 a.m.  It’s near the sickle-shaped head of Leo the lion, and it’s the brightest star-like object in the sky after Venus sets.  In telescopes tonight the moon Io duck behind Jupiter at 9:29 early, but will pop into sunlight a bit away from the planet on the other side at 12:33 a.m. because it also will be hidden in Jupiter’s shadow.  Early risers will be able to spot Saturn which will rise in the east-southeast at 1:54 a.m.  It will appear below the Moon tomorrow morning.

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

Addendum

The evening planets Mars, Venus, and Jupiter with the winter constellations at 9 p.m. March 11, 2015. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter and moons at 9 p.m. March 11, 2015, about 29 minutes before Io moves behind Jupiter. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).

Jupiter and moons at 12:33 a.m. March 12, 2015, about when Io emerges into sunlight from Jupiter’s shadow. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).

Saturn and the Moon in Scorpius in the south at 6 a.m. March 12, 2015. Created using Stellarium.

Closeup of Saturn and the Moon at 6 a.m. March 12, 2015. Created using Stellarium.

What Saturn and its moons might appear like in a telescope at 6 a.m., March 12, 2015. Small telescopes will show only the moon Titan. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).