Archive
08/31/11 – Ephemeris – The bright planets for this week
Wednesday, August 31st. The sun will rise at 7:03. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 17 minutes, setting at 8:21. The moon, 3 days past new, will set at 9:19 this evening.
It’s Wednesday and time again to take a look at the whereabouts of the bright planets. The ringed planet Saturn will be visible in the west southwest in evening twilight. It’s near the bright star Spica to its left. Spica has a blue tinge, while Saturn is yellowish. It will set at 9:50 p.m. Saturn is a wonderful sight is a telescope with its rings. We are seeing Saturn in evening twilight now. Its image is being deteriorated by the earth’s atmosphere being low in the sky. Jupiter will rise at 10:37 p.m. in the east northeast and is seen against the stars of the constellation Aries now. Mars will rise at 2:42 a.m also in the east northeast and is now passing through the constellation Gemini the twins. Venus, now in the evening sky, is too close to the sun to be seen.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
08/29/11 – Ephemeris – The twinkly red star Antares
Monday, August 29th. The sun will rise at 7:01. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 23 minutes, setting at 8:24. The moon, 1 day past new, will set at 8:19 this evening.
As it gets dark this evening a bright reddish star will appear low in the south. It will appear to twinkle mightily. It is not the planet Mars, which is now in the morning sky, but its rival the star Antares in Scorpius the scorpion. The star’s name, Antares, notes the rivalry. “Ant” means anti, while “Ares” is the Greek name for the Roman god Mars. Antares literally means “Rival of Mars”. Antares appears red due to its cool surface temperature of 3,600 Kelvin, much cooler than the sun’s 6,000 Kelvin, while Mars is red due to rust. As Antares starts to set later in the evening its light will mass through more of earth’s turbulent atmosphere making it sparkle like a multicolored sparkler. Antares spectacular twinkling has sparked more than a few calls about a strange light in the sky.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location
08/24/11 – Ephemeris – The bright planets visible this week
Wednesday, August 24th. The sun rises at 6:55. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 38 minutes, setting at 8:33. The moon, 3 days past last quarter, will rise at 2:47 tomorrow morning.
It’s Wednesday and time again to take a look at the whereabouts of the bright planets. The ringed planet Saturn will be visible in the west southwest in evening twilight. It’s near the bright star Spica to its left. Spica has a blue tinge, while Saturn is yellowish. It will set at 10:17 p.m. Saturn is a wonderful sight is a telescope with its rings. We are seeing Saturn in evening twilight now. Its image is being deteriorated by the earth’s atmosphere being low in the sky. Jupiter will rise at 11:04 p.m. in the east northeast and is seen against the stars of the constellation Aries now. Mars will rise at 2:48 a.m also in the east northeast and is now passing through the constellation Gemini the twins. Venus, now in the evening sky, is too close to the sun to be seen.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
08/17/11 – Ephemeris – The bright planets this week
Aug 17. This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, August 17th. The sun rises at 6:47. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 58 minutes, setting at 8:45. The moon, half way from full to last quarter, will rise at 10:00 this evening.
It’s Wednesday and time again to take a look at the whereabouts of the bright planets. The ringed planet Saturn will be visible in the west southwest as it gets dark. It’s near the bright star Spica to its left. Spica has a blue tinge, while Saturn is yellowish. It will set at 10:43 p.m. Saturn is a wonderful sight is a telescope with its rings. We are now slowly seeing Saturn slip into evening twilight. We have very little time of good viewing of Saturn before its image deteriorates by being too low in the sky. Jupiter will rise at 11:31 p.m. in the east northeast and is seen against the stars of the constellation Aries now. Mars will rise at 2:54 a.m also in the east northeast and is now passing through the constellation Gemini the twins.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
08/03/11 – Ephemeris – The bright planets for this week
Wednesday, August 3rd. The sun rises at 6:30. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 34 minutes, setting at 9:05. The moon, 3 days before first quarter, will set at 10:47 this evening.
It’s Wednesday and time again to take a look at the whereabouts of the bright planets. The ringed planet Saturn will be visible in the west southwest as it gets dark. It’s near the bright star Spica to its left. Spica has a blue tinge, while Saturn is yellowish. It will set at 11:35 p.m. Saturn is a wonderful sight is a telescope with its rings. We are now slowly seeing Saturn slip into evening twilight. We have a couple of more weeks of good viewing of Saturn before its image deteriorates by being too low in the sky. Jupiter will rise at 12:24 a.m. in the east northeast and is seen against the stars of the constellation Aries now. Mars will rise at 3:08 also in the east northeast and is now entering the constellation Gemini the twins at Castor’s foot.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
07/27/11 – Ephemeris – The bright planets this week
Wednesday, July 27th. The sun rises at 6:23. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 50 minutes, setting at 9:14. The moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 4:00 tomorrow morning.
It’s Wednesday and time again to take a look at the whereabouts of the bright planets. The ringed planet Saturn will be visible in the west southwest as it gets dark. It’s near the bright star Spica to its left. Spica has a blue tinge, while Saturn is yellowish. It will set at 11:58 p.m. Saturn is a wonderful sight is a telescope with its rings. We are now slowly seeing Saturn slip into evening twilight. We have a few more weeks of good viewing of Saturn before its image deteriorates by being too low in the sky. Jupiter will rise at 12:50 a.m. in the east northeast and is seen against the stars of the constellation Aries now. Mars will rise at 3:15 also in the east northeast and is located near the lower tip of the horn of Taurus the bull.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Wednesday, July 27th. The sun rises at 6:23. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 50 minutes, setting at 9:14. The moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 4:00 tomorrow morning. | It’s Wednesday and time again to take a look at the whereabouts of the bright planets. The ringed planet Saturn will be visible in the west southwest as it gets dark. It’s near the bright star Spica to its left. Spica has a blue tinge, while Saturn is yellowish. It will set at 11:58 p.m. Saturn is a wonderful sight is a telescope with its rings. We are now slowly seeing Saturn slip into evening twilight. We have a few more weeks of good viewing of Saturn before its image deteriorates by being too low in the sky. Jupiter will rise at 12:50 a.m. in the east northeast and is seen against the stars of the constellation Aries now. Mars will rise at 3:15 also in the east northeast and is located near the lower tip of the horn of Taurus the bull.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
07/20/11 – Ephemeris – The bright planets visible this week
Wednesday, July 20th. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 5 minutes, setting at 9:21. The moon, 3 days before last quarter, will rise at 11:33 this evening. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:16.
It’s Wednesday and time again to take a look at the whereabouts of the bright planets. The ringed planet Saturn will be visible in the west southwest as it gets dark. It’s near the bright star Spica to its left. Spica has a blue tinge, while Saturn is yellowish. It will set at 12:29 a.m. Saturn is a wonderful sight is a telescope with its rings. We are now slowly seeing Saturn slip into evening twilight. We have about another month of good viewing of Saturn before its image deteriorates by being too low in the sky. Jupiter will rise at 1:15 a.m. in the east and is seen against the stars of Aries now. Mars will rise at 3:24 in the east northeast and is located against the horns of Taurus the bull.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 