Archive
09/21/11 – Ephemeris – The bright planets this week
Wednesday, September 21st. The sun will rise at 7:28. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 14 minutes, setting at 7:42. The moon, 1 day past last quarter, will rise at 1:37 tomorrow morning.
It’s Wednesday and time again to take a look at the whereabouts of the bright planets. The planet Venus is rather close to the sun in the evening setting 26 minutes after the sun and not really visible. The ringed planet Saturn also hidden in the bright twilight is setting 51 minutes after the sun. Jupiter is now the prominent planet of the evening sky after it rises at 9:13 p.m. in the east northeast and is seen against the stars of the constellation Aries now. In a telescope it will be accompanied by its 4 brightest moons, and as the planet rises higher Jupiter’s image becomes sharper, and its cloud bands will become visible. Mars will rise at 2:25 a.m also in the east northeast and is now between the constellations of Gemini and Cancer.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
09/14/11 – Ephemeris – The bright planets visible this week
Wednesday, September 14th. The sun will rise at 7:19. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 35 minutes, setting at 7:55. The moon, 2 days past full, will rise at 8:29 this evening.
It’s Wednesday and time again to take a look at the whereabouts of the bright planets. The planet Venus is rather close to the sun in the evening setting 23 minutes after the sun and not really visible. The ringed planet Saturn is not really visible in the west in evening twilight. It will set 45 minutes after the sun. Jupiter is now the prominent planet of the evening sky after it rises at 9:41 p.m. in the east northeast and is seen against the stars of the constellation Aries now. It will be accompanied by its 4 brightest moons. Mars will rise at 2:31 a.m also in the east northeast and is now between the constellation Gemini and Cancer. Mercury is briefly visible now from about half an hour after its rising in the east at 6:17 until about 7 a.m.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
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.
08/24/11 – 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.
08/16/11 – Ephemeris – Solar conjunctions today of Mercury and Venus
Tuesday, August 16th. The sun rises at 6:45. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 0 minutes, setting at 8:46. The moon, 3 days past full, will rise at 9:38 this evening.
Today we have an interesting coincidence. Both Venus and Mercury will be in conjunction with the sun. Astrologers may make a big deal out of it but this time astronomers won’t. A conjunction means that two solar system bodies are just north and south of each other. At 8:07 this morning Venus will be just north of the sun in superior conjunction. That is it is beyond the sun. And at 9:03 this evening Mercury will be somewhat south of the sun in inferior conjunction. Thai is it is between the earth and the sun. Mercury will be going into our morning sky, while Venus will begin to appear in the evening sky later this fall. But the coolest thing of all will be Venus’ next inferior conjunction June 6th, 2012. It will cross the face of the sun in a rare transit.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 