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Ephemeris: 08/30/2023 – Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets are

August 30, 2023 Comments off

This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, August 30th. Today the Sun will be up for 13 hours and 20 minutes, setting at 8:23, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:03. The Moon, is the full Blue Moon today, and it will rise at 8:39 this evening. No, it’s not really blue in color. The Blue Moon is the second full moon in a particular month.

Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets are. Three of those five planets are now visible. Mars and Mercury are too close to the Sun to be seen. Saturn is the sole evening planet visible. Jupiter and Venus are officially the only visible morning planets. Saturn can be spotted in the southeast in the evening. And it will still be visible throughout the morning hours until just before sunrise. Tonight Saturn will appear above and right of the full moon, though it might be difficult to spot in the Moon’s glare. Saturn is in retrograde or westward motion now, against the stars of Aquarius. Jupiter will rise at 10:54pm. It is slowing its eastward motion and will become stationary on September 7th. Venus is making an appearance in the morning sky now as our brilliant morning star. It will rise at 5:13 tomorrow morning.

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

The Moon and Saturn at 10 pm EDT tonight, August 30, 2013. The relative positions, especially of Saturn, will change based on your time zone relative to Eastern Daylight Time (UT -4 hours). Created using Stellarium.
The full moon with selected features labeled, at 10 pm tonight, August 30, 2023. Created using Stellarium, LibreOffice Draw and GIMP.
Jupiter and Venus with the first magnitude stars of winter as they might be seen at 6:30 am, tomorrow morning, August 31, 2023. Created using Stellarium, LibreOffice Draw and GIMP.
Telescopic Saturn, Jupiter and Venus (north up) as they would be seen in a small telescope, with the same magnification at 10 pm August 30, 2023, for Saturn and 6:00 am August 31, 2023, for Jupiter and Venus. Apparent diameters: Saturn 18.96″, its rings 44.17″; Jupiter 43.86″; and Venus 50.31″ and is 10.6% illuminated. 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 August 30, 2023. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 31st. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp app and GIMP.

Categories: Ephemeris Program, Naked-eye planets, Observing, Planets Tags: , , , , ,