Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

Merry Christmas! This is Ephemeris for Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25th. Today the Sun will be up for 8 hours and 48 minutes, setting at 5:07, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:19. The Moon, 2 days before first quarter, will set at 11:01 this evening.

The real star of Bethlehem is probably not what is popularly depicted as a bright star in the sky, rather it was something subtle, only noticed by some astrologers. However, gracing our skies tonight we do have, in the evening, a brilliant star-like object, and our usual winter sprinkling of bright real stars in the southeastern sky. I call the one star-like because it’s a planet, Jupiter to be specific. The term “planet” we get from the Greeks, meaning wanderer. Planets don’t actually wander. Their paths can be determined, and are affected by the Sun, mainly and the other planet’s gravitational attraction. Perhaps the Magi, thought the cause was by divine action, to set them on their journey. Again have a Merry Christmas!

The astronomical event times given in this blog are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (Lat 44.7° N, Long 85.7° W; EST, UT – 5 hours) unless stated otherwise. Times will be different for other locations.

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