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09/23/2020 – Ephemeris – Let’s look at a the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 23rd. Today the Sun will be up for 12 hours and 5 minutes, setting at 7:37, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:32. The Moon, at first quarter today, will set at 11:53 this evening.
Let’s look at a the naked-eye planets for this week. Jupiter and Saturn are both low in the southern sky at 9 pm. Jupiter is the very bright one. To the left of it will be the somewhat dimmer Saturn. They are now seemly to close a tiny bit since Jupiter is resuming its eastward motion, and they will cross paths in December. Jupiter will set first at 1:11 tomorrow morning with Saturn following at 1:51. The next planet visible will be Mars which will rise at 8:44 pm. Its now down to 39.8 million miles (64.0 million km) away, as the Earth very slowly overtook it by 1.5 million miles (2.6 million km) last week as the Earth is moving nearly abreast of it. Brilliant Venus will rise at 3:53 am as it retreats toward the Sun.
The event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The planets visible at 9 pm or about an hour and a half after sunset tonight September 23, 2020. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium and GIMP.
The first quarter Moon tonight as it might appear in binoculars or a low power telescope. Created using Stellarium.
Mars, and Venus and the morning stars at 6 am or an hour and a half before sunrise tomorrow morning September 24, 2020. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium and GIMP.
The planets as seen in a telescope (north up) with the same magnification for the night of September 23/24, 2020. Times of the display are: Jupiter and Saturn, 9 pm; Mars, Midnight; Venus, 6 am. Apparent diameters: Jupiter, 41.42″; Saturn, 17.40″, rings, 40.52″. Mars, 21.96″, and Venus 16.25″. Mars also displays an enlargement showing surface detail. Mars will be closest to the Earth this go-a-round on October 6. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) 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 23, 2020. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 24th. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using my LookingUp program.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 