This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, December 20th. Today the Sun will be up for 8 hours and 48 minutes, setting at 5:04, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:16. The Moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 2:21 tomorrow morning.
Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week. Three of those five planets are now visible, but Mercury sets too close to sunset to be seen. And Mars rises too close to sunrise. Saturn and Jupiter are the only evening planets visible. Saturn can be seen moving from low in the south-southwest to setting in the west-southwest at 10:19 pm. Jupiter will be moving from the high in the southeast to the west-southwest, and will be up most of the night until 3:53 am. The slightly waxing gibbous Moon will be seen to the right of Jupiter tonight. Venus, the brilliant morning star, will rise in the east-southeast at 4:56, am, and be a brilliant beacon in the morning, shining in the southeast by 7 am.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT –5 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter and Saturn with the waxing gibbous Moon between them as it might be seen at 8 pm tonight, December 20, 2023. Created using Stellarium.
The moon as it might appear tonight at 8 pm, one day after first quarter. It is animated to label selected features. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using Stellarium, LibreOffice Draw, and GIMP.
Venus the morning Christmas Star is seen in the southeast at 7:30 am, along with two of the bright stars of spring evenings. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using Stellarium.
Telescopic Saturn, Jupiter and Venus (north up) as they would be seen in a small telescope, with the same magnification. At 8 pm December 20, 2023, for Saturn and Jupiter, and 7:30 am on the 21st, for Venus. Apparent diameters: Saturn 16.39″, its rings 38.18″; Jupiter 45.53″; and Venus 14.97″. 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) and GIMP.
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on December 20, 2023. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 21st. The Sun and Mercury abels overwrite each other on the sunset side of the chart. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp app and GIMP.
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