Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, August 14th. Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 4 minutes, setting at 8:49, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:45. The Moon, 2 days past first quarter, will set at 1:25 tomorrow morning.

Let’s take our weekly look at the whereabouts of the naked-eye planets. Venus might be glimpsed low in the west with Venus lower in the west around 9:15 pm. It will set at 9:40. It is best seen over a very low or lake horizon. Saturn will rise at 9:49 pm, and by 11 pm will be low in the east southeast, pretty much by itself. Saturn may look disappointing in telescopes this year since rings are nearly edge on and appear almost as a line through the planet. Jupiter and Mars will be up in the east by 5:30 am tomorrow, with Mars one moon-width left of the much brighter Jupiter. They were a bit closer this morning with Mars two thirds of a moon-width to the upper left of Jupiter. That giant planet outshines all the bright stars around it. Jupiter will rise at 1:30 am, with Mars a couple of minutes later.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT–4 hours). Times will be different for other locations.

Addendum

This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, August 7th. Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 23 minutes, setting at 8:59, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:37. The Moon, 3 days past new, will set at 10:31 this evening.

Let’s take our weekly look at the whereabouts of the naked-eye planets. The Moon will be visible as a thin crescent in the west with Venus lower in the west northwest around 9:30 pm. It will set at 9:56 pm in the west-northwest. Venus is best seen over a very low or lake horizon. Saturn will rise at 10:17 pm, and by 11 pm will be low in the east southeast, pretty much by itself. Saturn may look disappointing in telescopes this year since rings are nearly edge on and appear almost as a line through the planet. The other two visible planets are in the morning sky.

By 5:30 tomorrow morning, or an hour before sunrise, Jupiter and Mars will be up in the east, with Mars approaching Jupiter just above and to the right of it. Mars will rise at 1:41 am, and Jupiter at 1:53 am.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT–4 hours). Times will be different for other locations.

Addendum

This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, July 24th. Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 56 minutes, setting at 9:17, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:21. The Moon, halfway from full to last quarter, will rise at 11:23 this evening.

Let’s take our weekly look at the whereabouts of the naked-eye planets. Venus may still be too close to the direction of the Sun to be easily seen, it will set at 10:02 pm in the west-northwest. The best time to spot it will start about 9:40 pm or so. Mercury has been fading as its phase has become a crescent, as it’s heading back to the direction of the Sun. By 5:30 tomorrow morning, or about 50 minutes before sunrise, Saturn will be in the south below and right of the waning gibbous Moon, Mars and Jupiter will make a right triangle with the bright star Aldebaran in the east with Mars on top and Jupiter on the left. Saturn may look disappointing in telescopes this year since rings are nearly edge on and appear almost as a line through the planet. Saturn will rise at 11:14 pm, Mars will rise at 2:04 am, and finally Jupiter at 2:39 am.

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

This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, July 17th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 9 minutes, setting at 9:23, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:14. The Moon, halfway from first quarter to full, will set at 2:49 tomorrow morning.

Let’s take our weekly look at the whereabouts of the naked-eye planets. Venus is still too close to the direction of the Sun to be easily seen, it will set at 10:04 pm in the west-northwest. It is below and right of Mercury. That elusive planet just might be seen very low in the west-northwest by 10 pm or so. By 5:30 tomorrow morning, or about 45 minutes before sunrise, Saturn will be in the south, Mars will be lower in the east, and Jupiter will below it in the east-northeast. Mars is closing in on Jupiter and will pass it on August 14th. Saturn may look disappointing in telescopes this year since the rings are nearly edge on and appear almost as a line through the planet. It will rise before midnight tonight, at 11:45 pm.

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

This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, July 10th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 20 minutes, setting at 9:28, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:08. The Moon, 3 days before first quarter, will set at 12:10 tomorrow morning.

Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week. Venus is too close to the direction of the Sun to be easily seen, it will set at 10:07 pm in the west-northwest below and right of Mercury. That elusive planet just might be seen very low in the west-northwest by 10 pm or so. By 5:15 tomorrow morning, or about 50 minutes before sunrise, Saturn will be in the south, Mars will be lower in the east, and Jupiter will below it in the east-northeast. Mars is closing in on Jupiter and will pass it on August 14th. Saturn may look disappointing in telescopes this year since rings are nearly edge on and appear almost as a line through the planet. It will rise at 12:09 am, Mars at 2:34 am, and Jupiter at 3:28 am.

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

This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, July 3rd. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 28 minutes, setting at 9:31, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:03. The Moon, 2 days before new, will rise at 4:13 tomorrow morning.

Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week,. Venus is too close to the direction of the Sun to be seen. Mercury just might be seen very low in the west-northwest by 10 pm or so. Venus will appear in the evening sky next month. By 5:15 tomorrow morning, or about 45 minutes before sunrise, Saturn will be in the south-southeast and Mars will be lower in the east, and Jupiter will be low in the east-northeast. The skinny waning crescent Moon may be seen halfway between Jupiter and the northeastern horizon. Saturn will be a bit dimmer this year and next due to its rings being nearly edge on to us and not reflecting as much light. Saturn will rise at 12:40 am, Mars at 2:48 am, and Jupiter at 3:51 am.

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

This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, June 26th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 33 minutes, setting at 9:32, and it will rise tomorrow at 5:59. The Moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 12:58 tomorrow morning.

Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week. Venus and Mercury are too close to the direction of the Sun to be seen. Both are on the evening side of the Sun, but lost in its glare. Venus will appear in the evening sky next month. By 5:15 tomorrow morning, or about 45 minutes before sunrise, Saturn will be in the southeast just above and left of the Moon, and Mars will be lower in the east, and Jupiter will be very low in the east-northeast. Saturn will be a bit dimmer this year and next due to its rings being nearly edge on to us and not reflecting as much light. Saturn will rise at 1:15 am, Mars at 3:07 am, and Jupiter at 4:19 am.

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

This is Ephemeris for Juneteenth, Wednesday, June 19th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 34 minutes, setting at 9:31, and it will rise tomorrow at 5:57. The Moon, 2 days before full, will set at 4:15 tomorrow morning.
Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week, and see what planets are left. Venus and Mercury are too close to the direction of the Sun to be seen. Both are on the evening side of the Sun, but lost in its glare. It will appear in the evening sky next month. By 5:15 tomorrow morning, or about 45 minutes before sunrise, Saturn will be in the southeast and Mars will be lower in the east, and Jupiter will be very low in the east-northeast. In telescopes, Saturn will look fairly different this year and next with its rings nearly edge on to us. Saturn will rise at 1:35 am, Mars at 3:19 am, and Jupiter, making its first morning appearance, will rise at 4:38 am.

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

Translations of some lunar feature names according to Virtual Moon Atlas

Lacus Mortis – Lake of Death
Lacus Somniorum – Lake of Dreams
Mare Cognitum – Sea of Knowledge
Mare Crisium – Sea of Crises
Mare Fecunditatis – Sea of Fruitfulness
Mare Frigoris – Sea of Cold
Mare Humorum – Sea of Moisture
Mare Imbrium – Sea of Showers
Mare Nectaris – Sea of Nectar
Mare Nubium – Sea of Clouds
Mare Serenitatis – Sea of Serenity
Mare Tranquillitatis – Sea of Tranquility
Mare Vaporum – Sea of Vapors
Montes Alpes – Alps Mountains
Montes Apenninus – Apennines Mountains
Oceanus Procellarum – Ocean of Storms
Sinus Iridium – Bay of Rainbows
Sinus Medii – Central Bay
Sinus Roris – Bay of Moisture

Craters are named for persons, real or otherwise.