Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Wednesday, August 7th. Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 25 minutes, setting at 9:00, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:36. The Moon, at first quarter today, will set at 1:00 tomorrow morning.

Let’s look at the planets for the first full week in August. Mars, Mercury and Venus are all too close to the Sun to be seen. Mars is still on the evening or east side of the Sun. Mercury and Venus are on the west or morning side of the Sun. Bright Jupiter will be in the southern sky as it gets dark. It will pass the meridian, due south at 9:30 p.m. With steadily held binoculars a few of the 4 largest satellites of Jupiter can be seen. Four of Jupiter’s largest satellites can be spotted in telescopes tonight. Two, on the east and two west of Jupiter. Jupiter will set at 1:58 a.m. Saturn, the ringed planet, will be in the south-southeast in the evening, the brightest star-like object in that direction, but significantly dimmer than Jupiter. It will set at 4:10 a.m.

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

Addendum

Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon with the bright stars of the southern summer sky at 10:30 p.m. August 7, 2019. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.

The first quarter Moon as it might appear in binoculars or a small telescope tonight at 10:30 p.m. August 7, 2019. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter and Saturn with the same magnification at 1o:30 p.m.August 7, 2019. 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 August 7, 2019. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 8th. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using my LookingUp program.