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Archive for May 16, 2024

Ephemeris: 05/15/2024 – Getting reacquainted with the Moon

May 16, 2024 Comments off

This is Ephemeris for Thursday, May 16th. Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 53 minutes, setting at 9:06, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:11. The Moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 3:45 tomorrow morning.

My interest in astronomy has always tended to be in deep sky, that is the part of astronomy having to do with objects beyond the solar system. This was probably mainly due to the fact that my first telescope was the reflecting telescope and not really that good at viewing the planets. My opinion of the Moon has normally been that of being a big streetlight that kept me from viewing the faint things in the sky. However, as the Apollo program was ramping up in the 1960s, I began to get more interested in the Moon. And so it is, again, now that the Artemis program is beginning to ramp up. Unfortunately the landing zones that are being planned are at the South Pole of the Moon, which we can barely see from the Earth.

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 as it might be seen in binoculars or a small telescope two days past first quarter
This is the Moon as it might be seen in binoculars or a small telescope two days past first quarter at 10:00 tonight May 16th 2024. Selected features are labeled. The spot of interest of Artemis and of other countries who want to send spacecraft and humans to the Moon is the South Pole which is barely visible from the Earth. Created using Stellarium, LibreOffice Draw , and GIMP.
Artemis III possible landing sites_NASA
On August 19, 2022, NASA released the candidate lunar landing sites for Artemis III near the Moon’s South Pole. Click on the image to enlarge it. Credit: NASA, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Categories: Ephemeris Program, Observing, The Moon