Archive
07/15/2016 – Ephemeris – The Moon tonight
Ephemeris for Friday, July 15th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 13 minutes, setting at 9:25, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:12. The Moon, half way from first quarter to full, will set at 3:35 tomorrow morning.
The Moon is bright as it moves toward full. In binoculars, the brightest spot on the Moon is visible on the left edge of the Moon at 10 p.m. In telescopes it becomes a crater named Aristarchus. The sea below Aristarchus where the terminator, the sunrise line cuts across is Oceanus Procellarum, the Ocean of Storms. Below that is the small circular sea called Mare Humorum, the Sea of Moisture. North of Humorum is a large crater with low walls and a multiple central peak called Gassendi. Below that we’re back in the lunar highlands with lots of large craters. One of those craters, near the terminator is oddly elongated. It’s Schiller, 108 by 43 miles (174 X 69 km) in size.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The gibbous Moo at 10 p.m. July 15, 2016 showing some interesting features near the terminator. Created using Virtual Moon Atlas.
The crater Gassendi from Apollo 16 – NASA
07/14/2016 – Ephemeris – The first anniversary of New Horizons flyby of Pluto
Ephemeris for Thursday, July 14th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 14 minutes, setting at 9:25, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:11. The Moon, 3 days past first quarter, will set at 2:57 tomorrow morning.
One year ago today the New Horizons Spacecraft flew past Pluto for our first closeup look at this small world and its satellites. And wow, what we saw. In actuality not all the data from the few hours of the flyby have been returned to the Earth. We saw ice mountains as high as the Rockies, Nitrogen plains that look like they flowed from what may be heat from below, and a possible subterranean water ocean, which was recently reported. New Horizons has already tweaked its orbit to pass near another Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69. Recently The New Horizons team received the go-ahead for the encounter with this, perhaps 20 mile diameter body. The flyby will take place on January 1, 2019.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Krun Macula – Krun is the lord of the underworld in the Mandaean religion, and a macula is a dark feature on a planetary surface – is believed to get its dark red color from tholins, complex molecules found across Pluto. Krun Macula rises 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) above the surrounding plain – informally named Sputnik Planum – and is scarred by clusters of connected, roughly circular pits that typically reach between 5 and 8 miles (8 and 13 kilometers) across, and up to 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) deep. Image and caption credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute.
These odd fault lines are also seen on the Jovian moon Europa and Saturn’s moon Enceladus and could be the surface signs of an underground ocean. Credit New Horizons/ NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI.
Here’s more information from EarthSky.
New Horizon’s location as of yesterday. Heading out to 2014 MU69. Credit jhuapl.edu.
07/13/2016 – Ephemeris – The evening planets continue to march westward
Ephemeris for Wednesday, July 13th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 16 minutes, setting at 9:26, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:11. The Moon, 2 days past first quarter, will set at 2:23 tomorrow morning.
Let’s check out the bright naked eye planets tonight. Jupiter is in the west in the evening. It will set at 11:59 p.m. It’s below-left of the stars of Leo this year. Binoculars can make out some of Jupiter’s moons, but a telescope is required to see all four bright moons and Jupiter’s cloud features. Mars starts the evening in the southern sky. It’s above and right of its dimmer look-a-like star Antares, whose name means Rival of Mars. Mars will be due south at 9:30 p.m. and will set at 2:09 a.m. The Earth is pulling ahead of Mars so it’s now 58 million miles away and tiny in telescopes. Saturn is low in the south-southeast. It’s left of Mars. Saturn will pass due south at 10:50 p.m. and will set at 3:27 a.m. It’s a wonderful telescopic sight.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Evening planets and the Moon at 10:30 p.m. July 13, 2016. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and moons at 10:30 p.m. on July 13, 2016. Jupiter’s apparent diameter will be 33.2″. Created using Cartes du Ciel.
The Moon as seen in a pair of binoculars or small telescope with some prominent craters labeled at 10:30 p.m. on July 13, 2016. Created using Virtual Moon.Atlas.
Mars as seen in a large telescope. Note the decidedly gibbous phase at 10:30 p.m. on July 13, 2016. Mars’ apparent diameter will be 14.8″. Created using Cartes du Ciel.
Saturn and its larger moonsat 10:30 p.m. on July 13, 2016. Saturn’s apparent diameter wil be 18.0″ and the rings 41.9″ Created using Cartes du Ciel.
All the planets and the Moon from sunset July 13, 2016 to sunrise on the 14th. Created using my Looking up program.
Extra
I noticed Venus and Mercury near each other but very low in the sky, so I investigated. They are too low to be easily seen.
Venus and Mercury at 9:45 p.m., about 20 minutes after sunset tonight. Venus is 2.5 degrees above a flat horizon, and Mercury is 2 degrees.
Saturday night, same time, Venus will be 3 degrees up with Mercury above it in conjunction. Created using Stellarium. Give it a go. Good luck!
Note: The images and captions were uploaded via my phone after a storm too out the WiFi in the condo we’re staying in on vacation.
07/12/2016 – Ephemeris – The Lanphier Observatory is open twice a week during the a summer
Ephemeris for Tuesday, July 12th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 18 minutes, setting at 9:27, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:10. The Moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 1:53 tomorrow morning.
There’s an observatory on the shores of Sleeping Bear Bay near Glen Arbor that is open to the public twice a week on clear nights. It’s the Leelanau School’s Lanphier Observatory, which is open Wednesday and Thursday evenings weather permitting from 10 p.m. to midnight until Labor Day. The Leelanau School is located at 1 Old Homestead Road, off M22. The Observatory is behind the Student Center and across the Crystal River. The observatory dome contains a 14 inch telescope on a computerized mount, and smaller telescopes may be available on the observatory deck. The observatory is run by Norm Wheeler, recently retired instructor. Get there early to enjoy the sunset on Lake Michigan.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The Lanphier Observatory. From the Leelanau School website.
The dome interior with the 14 inch telescope and the computerized mount. From the Leelanau School website.
07/11/2016 – Ephemeris – Checking out a crack on the Moon
Ephemeris for Monday, July 11th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 19 minutes, setting at 9:27, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:09. The Moon, at first quarter today, will set at 1:24 tomorrow morning.
Mostly when discussing the features visible on the Moon, I talk about craters. This feature, visible close to the terminator, the sunrise line on the moon is a rille or what appears as a long meandering groove. It’s called the Hyginus Rille, a 133 mile (220 km) long, 2 mile (4 km) wide groove with a small crater near the center named Hyginus. The crater doesn’t look like a normal collision caused crater. It has no raised crater walls. The best guess as to what the Hyginus Rille is a collapsed lava tube. Parts of the lava tube may be intact as the groove devolves into a line of craters. Lava tubes may be used as lunar bases since they can serve as protection from meteoroids, radiation and temperature swings of the lunar day/night cycle.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The Moon at 10:30 p.m. July 11, 2016 with the location of the Hyginus Rille located. Created using the Virtual Moon Atlas.
Closeup of the Hyginus Rille using the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter texture on the Virtual Moon Atlas.
07/08/2016 – Ephemeris – Star party tomorrow night
Ephemeris for Friday, July 8th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 23 minutes, setting at 9:29, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:06. The Moon, 3 days before first quarter, will set at 12:01 tomorrow morning.
Last Friday there was a wonderful star party at the Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory. Tomorrow night starting at 9 p.m. the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society and the NMC Astronomy Club will strive for a repeat, featuring Jupiter, Mars and Saturn however this time adding the fat crescent Moon. Toward the end of the evening as darkness finally falls the telescopes will also seek out the brighter deep sky wonders among the stars. The observatory is located south of Traverse City, on Birmley Road. To keep up with all the astronomical events hosted by the Grand Traverse group and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore check out gtastro.org on the Internet.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
07/07/2016 – Ephemeris – The snake handler in the sky
Ephemeris for Thursday, July 7th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 24 minutes, setting at 9:30, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:06. The Moon, 3 days past new, will set at 11:31 this evening.
Saturn and the red star Antares shine in the south at 11 p.m. In the area of sky above it lies a large constellation of faint stars called Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer. Ophiuchus represent the legendary physician Aesculapius. The constellation shape is like a large bell, which reminds me of the head, shoulders and arms of a fellow that’s holding the snake-like a weight lifter struggling to pull up a heavy barbell. Serpens, the constellation of the serpent is in the sky in two sections. The front end lies to the right as Serpens Caput, and wends its way up towards Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. Serpens Cauda, the tail rises to the left of Ophiuchus. It’s a rewarding sight, and not that hard to spot.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The figure of Ophiuchus with Saturn and Mars nearby at 11 p.m. July 7, 2016. Created using Stellarium.
07/06/2016 – Ephemeris – The three bright evening planets are heading westward
Jul 6. This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, July 6th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 25 minutes, setting at 9:30, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:05. The Moon, 2 days past new, will set at 10:56 this evening.
Let’s see what the bright naked eye planets are up to. Jupiter is in the west in the evening. It will set at 12:24 a.m. It’s below the stars of Leo this year. Binoculars can make out some of Jupiter’s moons, but a telescope is required to see all four bright moons and Jupiter’s cloud features. Mars starts the evening in the southern sky. It’s above and right of its dimmer look-a-like star Antares, whose name means Rival of Mars. Mars will move due south at 10:01 p.m. and will set at 2:34 a.m. The Earth is pulling ahead of Mars so it’s now 55 million miles away and very small in telescopes. Saturn is low in the south-southeast. It’s left of Mars. Saturn will pass due south at 11:19 p.m. and will set at 3:56 a.m. It’s a wonderful telescopic sight.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The evening planets and constellations at 10:30 p.m., July 6, 2016. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and its Galilean moons at 10:30 p.m. July 6, 2016. Jupiter’s apparent diameter will be 33.8″. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Mars as it might be seen in a large telescope with high power at 10:30 p.m. July 6, 2016. Mars apparent diameter is 15.7″. The central meridian will be 162.44 degrees. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Saturn and its moons at 10:30 p.m. July 6, 2016. The apparent diameter of the planet will be 18.1″, larger than Mars’ disk. The rings span 42.2″, larger than the apparent diameter of Jupiter. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Planets at sunset and sunrise of a single night starting with sunset on the right on July 6, 2016. The night ends on the left with sunrise on July 7. If you are using Firefox right-click on the image and select View Image to enlarge the image. That goes for all the large images.
07/05/2016 – Ephemeris – Poor Hercules
Ephemeris for Tuesday, July 5th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 26 minutes, setting at 9:30, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:04. The Moon, 1 day past new, will set at 10:17 this evening.
Orion, an obscure Greek hero gets a splashy constellation in the winter sky, but the greatest hero of all, Hercules, gets a dim group of stars on the border between the spring and summer stars. At 11 p.m. Hercules is high and nearly overhead. It’s located above and right of the bright star, Vega, high in the east. Hercules’ central feature is a keystone shaped box of stars, called the Keystone, which represents the old boy’s shorts. From each top corner extend lines of stars that are his legs, from the bottom stars, the rest of his torso and arms extend. So in one final indignity he’s upside down in our sky. Some see him crouched down, club upraised holding the multi-headed Hydra about to throttle it.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The constellation Hercules and his neighbors. Created with Stellarium.
Hercules, visualized by Johan Meuris of the Stellarium development team.
M13, the Great Globular Star Cluster in Hercules. Credit: Scott Anttila.
07/04/2016 – Ephemeris – NASA’s going to light off fireworks at Jupiter tonight
Ephemeris for Independence Day, Monday, July 4th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 27 minutes, setting at 9:31, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:03. The Moon is new today, and won’t be visible.
There are two astronomical highlights for your Independence Day enjoyment. The first comes at 11:59 this morning (15:59 UT) when the Earth is at its very farthest from the Sun this year. Some 1.7% farther than average. You’re still gonna need your sun screen anyway. Later this evening, a half billion miles from Earth NASA’s Juno spacecraft will fire it’s rocket engine for 35 minutes to begin to decelerate over the north pole of Jupiter to drop into a long elliptical orbit of that planet. NASA TV will begin broadcasting the event at 10:30 p.m. (2:30 UT, July 5) The 35 minute engine burn will start at 11:18 p.m. (3:18 UT, July 5) What we’ll see is a real-time graph of the Doppler signal from the spacecraft as it slows down to drop into orbit of Jupiter.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The Juno spacecraft. Credit: NASA.
The Planetary Society’s Emily Lakdawalla has more information on How to watch Juno’s orbit insertion at http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2016/07011514-how-to-watch-junos-orbit.html.
NASA also has an application in which you can see simulations of Juno’s orbital insertion. It’s called NASA’s Eyes and can be downloaded from http://eyes.nasa.gov/.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 