Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Wednesday, April 29th.  Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 8 minutes, setting at 8:45.   The Moon, half way from first quarter to full, will set at 4:59 tomorrow morning.  Tomorrow the Sun will rise at 6:34.

Lets take a look at the bright planets for this week.  Mercury is low in the western sky after sunset.    It’s 19 degrees angle from the sun and will set at 10:32.  Our brilliant evening star Venus is high in the west by 9:30 p.m. It will set at 12:27 a.m.  Jupiter will appear high in the southwestern sky in the evening.  It will set at 3:31 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, Jupiter’s moon Europa will pass in front of Jupiter starting at 11:07 p.m. and its shadow will start across at 1:40 a.m.Saturn will rise in the east-southeast at 10:33 p.m.  It will be low in the south as morning twilight brightens.

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

Addendum

Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and the Moon at 9:30 p.m. April 29, 2015. Created using Stellarium.

The Moon as it might be seen in binoculars at 10 p.m., April 29, 2015. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter at 10:58 p.m. April 29, 2015 with Europa about to transit the planet. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).

Saturn alone above the southeastern horizon at 11:30 p.m. April 29, 2015. Created using Stellarium.

What Saturn and its moons might appear like in a telescope the night of April 29-30, 2015. Small telescopes will show only the moon Titan. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).