Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22nd.  Today the Sun will be up for 13 hours and 49 minutes, setting at 8:36.   The Moon, 3 days before first quarter, will set at 12:55 tomorrow morning.  Tomorrow the Sun will rise at 6:45.

Lets take a look at the bright planets for this week.  Mars and Mercury are in conjunction, that is close to each other low in the west just after sunset.  Mars appears a bit lower and left of the brighter Mercury.  Mars will set tonight at 9:47 with Mercury 5 minutes later.  Our brilliant evening star Venus is high in the west by 9 p.m. It will set at 12:15 a.m.  Jupiter will appear high in the southwestern sky in the evening.  It will set at 3:58 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.  Saturn will rise in the east-southeast at 11:03 p.m.  It will be low in the south at 5 to 6 a.m.

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

Addendum

View to the west with Mars, Mercury, Venus and the Moon at 9:15 p.m. April 22, 2015. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter, the Moon and the setting winter constellations at 10 p.m. April 22, 2015. Created using Stellarium.

The visibility of the Moon at 10 p.m. on April 22, 2015. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).

Jupiter and its moons at 10 p.m. Europa will be transiting the face of Jupiter. It’s shadow will start to cross the face of Jupiter at 11:04 p.m.. The transit will end at 11:27 p.m. and the shadow will leave the face of Jupiter at 1:58 a.m. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).

Saturn rising. Shown at midnight, April 22-23 2015. Created using Stellarium.

Saturn and the summer constellations at 5:45 a.m. April 23, 2015. Created using Stellarium.

What Saturn and its moons might appear like in a telescope at 5:45 a.m., April 23, 2015. Small telescopes will show only the moon Titan. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).