Home > Ephemeris Program, Naked-eye planets, Observing, Planets > Ephemeris: 09/27/2023 – Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week

Ephemeris: 09/27/2023 – Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week

September 27, 2023

This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 27th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 55 minutes, setting at 7:31, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:36. The Moon, 2 days before full, will set at 6:22 tomorrow morning.

Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week. Four of those five planets are now visible, but Mars is too close to the Sun to be seen. Saturn is the sole evening planet visible. It can be spotted in the southeast in the evening. And it will still be visible throughout the morning hours until it sets at 4:44 am. Saturn is in retrograde or westward motion now, against the stars of Aquarius. Jupiter, Venus and Mercury are the morning planets. Jupiter will rise at 9:02 pm. It, like Saturn is moving retrograde, which will last the rest of this year. Venus is our brilliant morning star, at its brightest, and will rise in the east-northeast at 3:59 am. Tiny Mercury will rise at 6:10 am, and be visible in the east by around 6:30.

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

Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon at 10 pm tonight
Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon at 10 pm tonight, September 27th 2023. Created using Stellarium.
Moon Full -2 days
The annotated waxing gibbous moon two days before full tonight September 27th 2023 as it might look in a pair of binoculars or small telescope. Created using Stellarium LibreOffice Draw and GIMP.
The morning planets Jupiter, Venus and Mercury
The morning planets Jupiter, Venus and Mercury along with the bright stars of winter seen at 6:30 am, or about an hour before sunrise, September 28th, 2023. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using Stellarium.
Telescopic Saturn, Jupiter and Venus
Telescopic Saturn, Jupiter and Venus (north up) as they would be seen in a small telescope, with the same magnification at 10 pm September 27, 2023, for Saturn and 6:30 am September 28, 2023, for Jupiter and Venus. Apparent diameters: Saturn 18.65″, its rings 43.45″; Jupiter 47.40″; and Venus 33.09″ and is 34.5% illuminated. Mercury, not shown due to size, 6.06″ and is 73.4% 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
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on September 27, 2023. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 28th. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp app and GIMP.
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