Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 18th. Today the Sun will be up for 12 hours and 23 minutes, setting at 7:48, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:26. The Moon, 3 days before last quarter, will rise at 10:11 this evening.

Let’s look at the planets for this week. Mars, Venus and Mercury are too close to the Sun to be seen. Venus and Mercury are on the evening or east side of the Sun, Mars is on the west or morning side. Bright Jupiter will be low in the southwestern sky as it gets dark. With steadily held binoculars a few of the 4 largest satellites of Jupiter can be seen. Three of the four Jupiter’s Galilean satellites can be easily spotted in telescopes this evening. The moon Europa will appear very close to the planet. Jupiter will set at 11:21 p.m. Saturn, the ringed planet, will be in the southern sky in the evening. It will pass the meridian, due south at 8:52 p.m. and will set at 1:19 a.m.

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

Addendum

Jupiter and Saturn with the constellations of the southern summer sky at 10 p.m. September 18, 2019. Created using Stellarium.

The waning gibbous Moon at 11 p.m. September 18, 2019. Created using Stellarium.

Telescopic views of Jupiter and Saturn with the same magnification at 10 p.m. September 18, 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 September 18, 2019. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 19th. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using my LookingUp program.