Home > Ephemeris Program, Naked-eye planets, Observing > 07/05/2023 – Ephemeris – Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week

07/05/2023 – Ephemeris – Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week

July 5, 2023

This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, July 5th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 27 minutes, setting at 9:31, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:04. The Moon, 2 days past full, will rise at 11:49 this evening.

Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week. Venus is our blazing Evening Star, seen low in the west most of the evening. It sets tonight at 11:28 pm, and by three minutes earlier each night. The red planet Mars is seen left of and above Venus. And left of Mars is the brighter star Regulus in Leo the lion. Venus is pulling away from Mars now. Mars is much fainter than Venus and difficult to spot in twilight. Saturn will rise shortly after midnight. And by 5:15 am will appear in the south, the brightest “star” in that direction. It will appear above and left of the waning gibbous Moon at that hour. Jupiter will be in the east at that hour. It is the brightest star-like object in the morning sky now.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT –4 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Venus, Mars and bright star Regulus can be seen low in the west at 10:15 pm EDT, or about 45 minutes after sunset, tonight July 5, 2023. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter, Saturn and the waning gibbous Moon seen at 5:15 am, about an hour before sunrise tomorrow morning, July 6, 2023. Fomalhaut, the loneliest star in the sky, is also visible. It’s kept company by Saturn for a few years every 30 years. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using Stellarium.
Waning gibbous Moon with labels as it might be seen at 5:15 am, about one hour before sunrise tomorrow, July 5, 2023. Created using Stellarium, LibreOffice Draw, and GIMP.
Telescopic Venus, Saturn and Jupiter (north up) as they would be seen in a small telescope, with the same magnification at 10:15 pm July 5, 2023, for Venus and 5:15 am July 6, 2023, for Jupiter and Saturn. Apparent diameters: Venus 36.21″ and is 28.1% illuminated; Saturn 18.18″, its rings 42.35″; Jupiter 37.04″. Mars, too small to be represented here, is 4.18″ in diameter. Venus, Saturn and Jupiter are approaching us, so their apparent diameters are growing. Europa is transiting in front of Jupiter. Normally it would not be visible. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on July 5, 2023. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 6th. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp app and GIMP.

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