Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Wednesday, June 27th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 33 minutes, setting at 9:32, and it will rise tomorrow at 5:59. The Moon, 1 day before full, will set at 6:27 tomorrow morning.

It’s Wednesday again and time to look for and at the bright planets. Three of them are in the evening sky. The brilliant beacon of Venus will be visible in the western twilight from about 9:50 p.m. until it sets at 11:53 p.m. Mercury is far below and right of it, setting at 10:59 p.m. Jupiter will be in the south as it gets dark. Jupiter is only outshone by Venus and the Moon, though Mars will outshine it next month at its closest. Jupiter will set at 3:05 a.m. Binoculars will show it to be bigger than star-like in size. Saturn which is opposite the Sun in the sky today will rise as the Sun sets. It’s right below the Moon tonight. Mars will rise at 11:39 p.m. and is now outshining Saturn.

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

Addendum

Venus and Mercury low in the western sky ay 10 p.m. June 27, 2018. Click on image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.

Telescopic appearance of Venus on June 27, 2018. A moon filter helps cut down the glare to be able to more easily see the phase. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon tonight at 10:30 p.m. on June 27, 2018. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.

The Moon and Saturn as they might appear in binoculars at 10:30 p.m. June 27, 2018. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter and Saturn with the same magnification at 10:30 p.m. June 27, 2018. Information on Europa events and the Great Red Spot is below. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).

Moon   Event            Universal Time    Local Time
Europa Transit start    28 Jun 2018 3:30  27 Jun 2018 11:30 p.m.
Europa Shadow start     28 Jun 2018 5:34  28 Jun 2018  1:34 a.m.
Europa Transit end      28 Jun 2018 5:44  28 Jun 2018  1:44 a.m.
Europa Shadow end       28 Jun 2018 7:49  28 Jun 2018  3:49 a.m.
Great Red Spot Transit  28 Jun 2018 2:32  27 Jun 2018 10:32 p.m.

Source of Jovian events: https://www.projectpluto.com/jevent.htm

Mars, Saturn and the Moon at 5 a.m. June 28, 2018. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.

Greatly enlarged telescopic Mars at 5 a.m. June 28, 2018. Note that the dark albedo features may be covered by a global dust storm currently raging on the Red Planet. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).

Planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise of a single night starting with sunset on the right on June 27, 2018. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 28th. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using my LookingUp program.