Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Wednesday, March 25th.  The Sun will rise at 7:37.  It’ll be up for 12 hours and 24 minutes, setting at 8:01.   The Moon, 2 days before first quarter, will set at 2:13 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 11:07 p.m.  Mars appears much lower and to the right of it.  The Red Planet will set tonight at 9:48.  Jupiter will appear In the southeastern sky in the evening.  It will set at 5:48 a.m.  It’s near the sickle-shaped head of Leo the lion, and it’s the second brightest star-like object in the sky after Venus.  In telescopes tomorrow morning the moon Io will duck behind Jupiter at 1:05, but will pop into sunlight a bit away from the planet on the other side at 4:23 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 12:59 a.m.  It will be low in the south at 6 to 7 a.m.

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

Addendum

The evening planets of Mars, Venus and Jupiter with the Moon and winter stars. Created using Stellarium.

The Moon as it would appear in binoculars at 9 p.m. March 25, 2015. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter and its moons at 9 p.m. March 25, 2015. Created using Stellarium.

Saturn and the southern summer constellations at 6 a.m. on March 26, 2015. Created using Stellarium.

What Saturn and its moons might appear like in a telescope at 6 a.m., March 26, 2015. Small telescopes will show only the moon Titan. Created using Stellarium.