Archive
02/15/2022 – Ephemeris – The Moon’s splashiest crater
This is Ephemeris for Tuesday, February 15th. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 28 minutes, setting at 6:11, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:41. The Moon, 1 day before full, will set at 8:09 tomorrow morning.
The Moon at 8 pm tonight will be only 16 hours before being full. As down as I am about full moons due to the fact that they light up the sky and flood out the dimmer objects, I once in a while stop and view it. Being less than a day from full, we see it tonight from very nearly the direction of the Sun, so there will be few shadows to be had. The crater Tycho is near the bottom or south end of the moon and has long rays of tiny ejecta craters. The full moon is the best time to see these rays, which are easily visible in binoculars, through which Tycho itself looks like a bright dot. In telescopes, Tycho looks like a small, bright crater with a dark ring around it. The full moon is super bright. It’s daytime over there.
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
An image I took of the full moon in August 2016 and processed for maximum contrast to show the crater Tycho with its dark ring, near the bottom (south) of the Moon and its rays that stretch for hundreds of miles across the face of the Moon. The image is fairly low resolution, taken with a 300 mm telephoto lens. Click on the image to enlarge it a bit.
02/11/2022 – Ephemeris – The Sun Rises on the Moon’s Bay of Rainbows
This is Ephemeris for Friday, February 11th. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 16 minutes, setting at 6:05, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:47. The Moon, 3 days past first quarter, will set at 5:34 tomorrow morning.
On the moon tonight, the gibbous phase and the terminator on the left side of the moon is revealing a large semicircular mountain range called the Jura Mountains that encloses a flat lava plain that looks like a bay in the margin of the Sea of Showers or Mare Imbrium. It is easily visible in binoculars this evening, when the sunrise line is crossing the bay. The Jura Mountains will appear as a hook out of the upper left edge of the moon. That’s about the coolest sight that’s visible on the moon that can be seen with binoculars. It’s especially striking if seen in a small telescope.
Also, related to the Moon: The Artemis-1 uncrewed mission to orbit the Moon has been pushed off at least one month or more, to this April or even May.
Addendum
Sunrise at Sinus Iridium, full Moon disc with annotations. Click on the image to enlarge it. Moon image created using Stellarium.
Sinus Iridium at sunrise. Photo by “Seb2003” on http://forums.futura-sciences.com/materiel-astronomique-photos-damateurs/5809-images-de-lune.html.
02/10/2022 – Ephemeris – The waxing gibbous Moon is revealing more seas and craters
This is Ephemeris for Thursday, February 10th. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 14 minutes, setting at 6:04, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:48. The Moon, 2 days past first quarter, will set at 4:38 tomorrow morning.
The Moon tonight is a waxing gibbous phase. More gray lunar seas are appearing near the terminator, the sunrise line. From north to south these seas, most only partially in sunlight, are: At the far north, the Cold Sea, Sea of Showers, The sea where the famous crater Copernicus is, the Sea of Islands. The southernmost sea at the terminator is the Sea of Clouds. Some large and prominent craters can be seen with binoculars or a small telescope can be seen in the south, the striking and relatively fresh Tycho, with its Moon girdling ejecta rays, though the rays are best seen at full moon. And the huge crater Clavius, with an arc of 5 smaller craters, one on its wall and the others on its floor, in ever diminishing sizes.
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
2 days past first quarter Moon as it would be seen in a small telescope or even binoculars, annotated. For this evening, February 10, 2022. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using Virtual Moon Atlas. Annotations in white are from the app, mine are in green. Translations of the sea names are below.
Translations
Mare Crisium – Sea of Crises
Mare Fecunditatis – Sea of Fertility
Mare Frigoris – Sea of Cold
Mare Imbrium – Sea of Showers
Mare Insularum – Sea of Islands
Mare Nectaris – Sea of Nectar
Mare Nubium – Sea of Clouds
Mare Serenitatis – Sea of Serenity
Mare Tranquilitatis – Sea of Tranquility
A closer look
A montage of Clavius as photographed by one of the Lunar Orbiter spacecraft in the 1960s From Digital Lunar Orbital Photographic Atlas. Credit Jeff Gillis, Lunar and Planetary Institute.
02/09/2022 – Ephemeris – Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, February 9th. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 11 minutes, setting at 6:02, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:50. The Moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 3:37 tomorrow morning.
Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week. There is just one planet left in the evening sky now, and it’s going to leave us soon. Jupiter will be visible in the west-southwest around 6:30 pm. It will set at 7:35 pm. Saturn is too close to the Sun to be seen, It crossed behind the Sun last Friday, and has entered the morning sky, where we will lose it for a month or so. Speaking of the morning sky, Venus, our brilliant morning star, Mars and maybe even Mercury can be spotted low in the southeast by 7 o’clock. Mars will be below, right of Venus, while Mercury will be near the horizon left of Venus. Mercury is brighter than Mars, but lower in more intense twilight. Venus will rise at 5:23, with Mars following at 5:53, and Mercury rising last at 6:32.
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 in evening twilight tonight at 6:30 pm or about a half hour after sunset, February 9, 2022. Created using Stellarium.
The waxing gibbous Moon as it might appear tonight in binoculars or small telescope. Created using Stellarium.
Venus, Mars, and Mercury at 7 am, or about 50 minutes before sunrise in the morning twilight. Created using Stellarium.
Telescopic views of the Jupiter and its moons; and Venus (north up) as they would be seen in a small telescope, with the same magnification, overnight, February 9/10, 2022. As far as Jupiter is concerned, I’m not sure its moons will be visible in the twilight or close to the horizon. I do not show planets less than 10 seconds of arc in diameter. Apparent diameters: Jupiter, 33.34″ at 6:45 pm. Mars is not shown, its apparent diameter is 4.44″. Venus has an apparent diameter of 42.07″ and is 23.8% illuminated at 7 am. Mercury, is also not shown, it has an apparent diameter of 7.73″ and it’s 47.3% illuminated. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on February 9, 2022. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 10th. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp program.
02/08/2022 – Ephemeris – The first quarter Moon tonight
This is Ephemeris for Tuesday, February 8th. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 8 minutes, setting at 6:01, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:51. The Moon, at first quarter today, will set at 2:34 tomorrow morning.
The Moon tonight, will be about 12 hours past being exactly first quarter, so it will be showing to be just a bit gibbous, that is a bit more than 50% illuminated by the Sun from our vantage point. In binoculars, the gray lunar seas, which are actually frozen lava filled plains, dominate the upper right quarter of the Moon. At the bottom, or south end of the Moon are the lighter more cratered region of the Moon called the Lunar Highlands. It is near the terminator, the line between day and night on the Moon, where shadows are longest, where craters can be seen by the shadows of the rims. Farther away from the terminator, the Sun is higher in the Moon’s sky, so the shadows get shorter or disappear all together.
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
The is what the Moon might look like tonight, hours after first quarter. Just a bit of Mare Imbrium (Sea of Showers) is visible. Mare Serenitatis is the Sea of Serenity, Mare Tranquilitatis is the Sea of Tranquility. The green annotation is mine. BTW, Mare is pronounced Mar-e. It’s Latin, meaning sea. Created using Virtual Moon Atlas, a free app that can be downloaded from a link on the right, or listed under Free Astronomical Software.
01/31/2022 – Ephemeris – The winter circle of bright stars
This is Ephemeris for Monday, January 31st. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 47 minutes, setting at 5:50, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:01. The Moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 8:48 tomorrow morning.
The winter skies are blessed with more first magnitude stars than any other season. Six of these stars lie in a large circle centered on the seventh, It’s called the Winter Circle. This circle is up in the evening. Starting high overhead is yellow Capella in Auriga the charioteer. Moving down clockwise is orange Aldebaran in the face of Taurus the Bull. Then down to Orion’s knee, we find blue-white Rigel. Down and left is the brightest star of all the brilliant white Sirius the Dog Star in Canis Major, lowest of these stars in the south-southeast. Moving up and left is white Procyon in Canis Minor, Above Procyon is Pollux in Gemini, the twins. All these are not quite centered on Betelgeuse, the bright red star in Orion’s shoulder.
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
The bright stars of winter arrayed in a not so accurate circle. Some call it the Winter Hexagon. These stars are what make the winter sky so brilliant on the rare clear night in winter. Created using Stellarium.
01/28/2022 – Ephemeris – Auriga the charioteer without a chariot
This is Ephemeris for Friday, January 28th. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 39 minutes, setting at 5:45, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:05. The Moon, 3 days past last quarter, will rise at 6:10 tomorrow morning.
The constellation Auriga the charioteer is nearly overhead at 9 p.m. It is a pentagon of stars, with the brilliant star Capella at one of its upper corners. Capella represents a she-goat he’s carrying. A narrow triangle of stars nearby Capella represents her three kids. The chariot, or by some a wagon is not seen in the stars and is supposed to be pulled by four horses, abreast. Or four oxen, or two oxen, a horse, and a zebra. None of these are depicted in the stars. The only constellation art I’ve seen is a man holding a large goat and three baby goats. There’s no chariot, no wagon and definitely no horses, oxen or zebras. What I see is a distinctive pentagon of stars, with one, Capella, brighter than the rest, and a nearby small triangle of stars.
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
Auriga and surrounding constellations at 9 pm in late January. Created using Stellarium.
Auriga star field, constellation lines and art. Auriga seems to be missing a kid, he’s supposed to have three, I think. Created using Stellarium and GIMP.
I checked other constellation art, and it appears that there are only two kids. I may have been wrong all these years. Yet the asterism of The Kids has three stars.
01/27/2022 – Ephemeris – Looking at the constellation of Gemini the twins
This is Ephemeris for Thursday, January 27th. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 37 minutes, setting at 5:44, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:06. The Moon, 2 days past last quarter, will rise at 4:56 tomorrow morning.
Another famous winter constellation is Gemini. The constellation of Gemini the Twins is visible high in the southeast, above and left of Orion the hunter, at 9 p.m. The namesake stars of the two lads, are the two bright stars at the left end of Gemini, and are high and nearly in the east. Castor is on top, while Pollux is below. From them come two lines of stars that outline the two, extending horizontally toward Orion. In Greek mythology the lads were half brothers, Castor was fathered by a mere mortal, while Pollux was fathered by Zeus, but were born together as twins. When Castor was killed during the quest for the Golden Fleece, Pollux pleaded with Zeus to let him die also, so Zeus placed them together in the sky.
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
Gemini finder animation for 9 pm January 27th, showing just stars, constellation lines and star names, and figures of the lads. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using Stellarium and GIMP.
01/24/2022 – Ephemeris – The Great Orion Nebula
This is Ephemeris for Monday, January 24th. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 30 minutes, setting at 5:40, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:09. The Moon, 1 day before last quarter, will rise at 1:03 tomorrow morning.
The closest star nursery to us, places where stars are being born, is the Great Orion Nebula, 1,300 light years away. A light year is about 6 trillion miles, if you want to pace it out. It’s located in the constellation Orion’s sword that hangs below his belt. In as little as a pair of binoculars, it shines by emission and reflection of the light of a tiny clutch of four stars at its heart, which astronomers have called the Trapezium. These extremely hot young massive stars are not destined to live long. Unlike the Sun’s 10 billion year lifetime, these stars lifespans will be measured in millions of years. Yet do not mourn for them, even now stars are forming within their dusty cocoons in the nebula. The Trapezium stars’ deaths will provide heavy elements for new stars and planets.
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
The lower part of Orion, with the Great Orion Nebula. Created using Stellarium.
The Great Orion Nebula (M42) long exposure photograph by Scott Anttila. Includes all the sword stars.
The inner and brightest part of the Great Orion Nebula. Also, visible are the four stars of the Trapezium, whose ultraviolet emissions light up the nebula. This is pretty much one’s perception of the nebula as seen in a small telescope, except it would appear colorless. In larger telescopes, one would perceive a greenish color. The red color of hydrogen is outside our night adapted visual range. The green emission is due to mainly doubly ionized oxygen and the green emission of hydrogen. Image by Scott Anttila.
01/21/22 – Ephemeris – A river in the sky, but not the Milky Way
This is Ephemeris for Friday, January 21st. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 23 minutes, setting at 5:36, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:11. The Moon, halfway from full to last quarter, will rise at 9:31 this evening.
One of the more obscure constellations around is Eridanus, which depicts a river. The river starts near the lower right corner of Orion, near the bright star Rigel and flows to the right then down near the southwestern horizon, then it meanders along the horizon to the south before turning below the horizon. One has to travel to the far south to see the southern terminus of the river, the bright star Achernar. Writers over the ages have seen here the Nile and the Earth circling river Ocean of the flat earth days. Achernar is actually two stars. And the brightest was discovered to be the flattest star known, due to its rapid spin. The dimensions of Achernar A has been determined to be twice as wide across its equator than from pole to pole. It’s 139 light years away.
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
An animation of the constellation Eridanus, which is a river that flows from Rigel in Orion to the star Achernar below our southern horizon at latitude 45 degrees north. Create using Stellarium and GIMP.
A model of Achernar by the European Southern Observatory (ESO).
