03/11/2015 – Ephemeris – On Wednesday we look at the bright planets
Ephemeris for Wednesday, March 11th. The Sun will rise at 8:02. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 40 minutes, setting at 7:43. The Moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 1:42 tomorrow morning.
Lets take a look at the bright planets for this week. Brilliant Venus is in the west by 8:30 p.m. It will set at 10:31 p.m. Mars appears below and right of it. The Red Planet will set tonight at 9:47. Jupiter will appear In the southeastern sky in the evening. It will set at 6:41 a.m. It’s near the sickle-shaped head of Leo the lion, and it’s the brightest star-like object in the sky after Venus sets. In telescopes tonight the moon Io duck behind Jupiter at 9:29 early, but will pop into sunlight a bit away from the planet on the other side at 12:33 a.m. because it also will be hidden in Jupiter’s shadow. Early risers will be able to spot Saturn which will rise in the east-southeast at 1:54 a.m. It will appear below the Moon tomorrow morning.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The evening planets Mars, Venus, and Jupiter with the winter constellations at 9 p.m. March 11, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and moons at 9 p.m. March 11, 2015, about 29 minutes before Io moves behind Jupiter. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
Jupiter and moons at 12:33 a.m. March 12, 2015, about when Io emerges into sunlight from Jupiter’s shadow. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
Saturn and the Moon in Scorpius in the south at 6 a.m. March 12, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Closeup of Saturn and the Moon at 6 a.m. March 12, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
What Saturn and its moons might appear like in a telescope at 6 a.m., March 12, 2015. Small telescopes will show only the moon Titan. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
03/10/2015 – Ephemeris – The Great Orion Nebula
Ephemeris for Tuesday, March 10th. The Sun will rise at 8:04. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 37 minutes, setting at 7:42. The Moon, 3 days before last quarter, will rise at 12:43 tomorrow morning.
The constellation of Orion the hunter, now in the south at 9 p.m., contains the most beautiful star forming region in the northern sky. It is the Great Orion Nebula. A nebula is simply a cloud. Back in the early days of telescopes it was anything that appeared fuzzy. Today it’s any cloud, whether of gas or dust, light or dark. The Great Orion Nebula is made up of gas, which is ionized and shines by fluorescence by the ultraviolet light of a clutch of four stars in its heart called the Trapezium. The nebula can be glimpsed with binoculars surrounding what looks like the center star of the vertical line of three stars that appears as the sword hanging from Orion’s belt. It’s the bright end of a large dark cloud that’s behind the bright stars of Orion.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Orion upright and due south. Created using Stellarium.
The lower part of Orion with the Great Orion Nebula. Created using Stellarium.
Inner part of the Great Orion Nebula with the Trapezium. Image by Scott Anttila
Great Orion Nebula by Scott Anttila
03/09/2015 – Ephemeris – The Big Dipper, a sign of spring
Ephemeris for Monday, March 9th. The Sun will rise at 8:06. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 34 minutes, setting at 7:40. The Moon, 4 days before last quarter, will rise at 11:43 this evening.
There’s a sign of spring appearing in the sky, rising high in the northeast. It’s the Big Dipper standing on its handle. In the native story of the Fisher Star, it’s the sign that it’s time for the maple sugar season. The Big Dipper is part of Ursa Major the great bear or a weasel-like creature called Fisher or Fisher Star. Draw a line through the bottom of the bowl of the dipper as if it leaks, and it will drip on the back of Leo the lion in the southeast. The handle of the Big Dipper will arc to Arcturus after 10 p.m. when that star rises. The most important guide that the Big Dipper provides is to point to Polaris, the north star. The two stars at the front of the bowl of the dipper point to Polaris, that alone of all the stars appears fixed in the north.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The Big Dipper, part of Ursa Major and also part of Fisher Star in the northeastern sky at 9 p.m. March 9, 2015
For the story of Fisher Star follow this link.
03/06/2015 – Ephemeris – Learn about this year’s adventures in exploring the soiar system tonight
Ephemeris for Friday, March 6th. The Sun will rise at 7:12. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 24 minutes, setting at 6:36. The Moon, 1 day past full, will rise at 7:47 this evening.
This evening yours truly will be giving a program at the monthly meeting of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society at 8 p.m. at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory. It’s entitled Asteroids and Dwarf Planets and Comets, oh my! It’s about the three solar system bodies being visited this year by spacecraft from NASA and the European Space Agency. The asteroid is Ceres, which the Dawn spacecraft entered orbit of today. The dwarf planet is Pluto which is the target of a summer flyby by the New Horizon spacecraft. The comet is 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko orbited by ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft. There will be a star party at 9 p.m. following the meeting.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Apologies to MGM.
Looking back at Vesta as Dawn headed off to Ceres. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCAL/MPS/DLR/IDA
The bright spot is two. Picture taken February 19, 2015 from 29,000 miles (46,700 km). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA.
Artist conception of the New Horizons spacecraft at Pluto. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute
An animation of Comet 67p/Churyumov–Gerasimenko rotation on July 14, 2014. The 30 pixel wide image has been smoothed. The Rotation rate is 1 rotation every 12.4 hours. Credits: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA
03/05/2015 – Ephemeris – Tonight’s moon is the smallest full moon of the year
Ephemeris for Thursday, March 5th. The Sun will rise at 7:13. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 21 minutes, setting at 6:35. The Moon, at full today, will rise at 6:48 this evening.
We’ve heard all about the supermoon, when the moon is at its closest. This is supposedly best seen when the full moon is rising. Of course the rising moon or sun, or the setting of these bodies look larger than normal due to an optical illusion. Well tonight’s full moon is the opposite. The Moon is at apogee, which is the farthest it gets in its orbit of the Earth. It’s 253 thousand miles (406 thousand km) from Earth. So the Moon should be, let me see, a mini-moon? So the Moon should appear small as it rises tonight. So if it’s clear tonight you might check out the moon. Does it appear as large as it usually does? Or does it appear smaller? The moon, being alone in the sky lacks anything else to compare its size to. It makes estimations difficult.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Here are the full mini and supermoons of the year. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts)
03/04/2015 – Ephemeris – Our weekly look at the bright planets
Ephemeris for Wednesday, March 4th. The Sun will rise at 7:15. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 18 minutes, setting at 6:34. The Moon, 1 day before full, will set at 6:59 tomorrow morning.
Lets take a look at the bright planets for this week. Brilliant Venus is in the west by 7:30 p.m. It will set at 9:13 p.m. It’s separating from Mars which appears below and right of it. The Red Planet will set tonight at 8:47 p.m. Jupiter will appear In the southeastern sky in the evening. It will be up just about all night, and will set at 6:16 a.m. It’s near the sickle-shaped head of Leo the lion, and it’s the brightest star-like object in the sky. In telescopes tonight the moon Io will be behind Jupiter and will pop into sunlight a bit away from the planet at 9:39 p.m. Tomorrow night the 5th the moon Europa will duck behind Jupiter at 8:48 p.m. After that only 3 of the moons will be visible, until 12:57 a.m. when Europa will appear on the other side.* Early risers will be able to spot Saturn which will rise in the east-southeast at 1:25 a.m. It’s in the south at 6 a.m.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
* Due to a date mix up the radio program may be incorrect. The occultation of Europa on the 5th being set on the 4th. The Io occultation is since added.
Addendum
Venus and Mars in the west at 7:30 p.m. on March 4, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter, the full Moon and the winter stars at 9 p.m. on March 4, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and moons at 9:39 p.m., when Io leaves Jupiter’s shadow on March 4, 2015. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
The nearly full moon at 9 p.m. on March 4, 2015. Created using Virtual Moon Atlas.
Looking south toward Saturn along with the summer stars and the setting Moon in the west at 6 a.m. March 5, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
What Saturn and its moons might appear like in a telescope at 6 a.m., March 5, 2015. Small telescopes will show only the moon Titan. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
03/03/2015 – Ephemeris – The bright spots on Ceres are still a mystery
Ephemeris for Tuesday, March 3rd. The Sun will rise at 7:17. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 15 minutes, setting at 6:32. The Moon, 2 days before full, will set at 6:30 tomorrow morning.
The Dawn spacecraft is approaching the asteroid Ceres. It will be gently captured by Ceres on the 6th. This as an update from the date I gave you yesterday. Then the spacecraft will spiral closer and closer to the asteroid over the next few months. There is a mystery spot on Ceres, a bright spot that was visible by the Hubble Space Telescope orbiting Earth. As Dawn got close enough to resolve Ceres it too saw the bright spot. As the spacecraft got even closer the spot showed to be smaller and smaller. I thought it might be a crater that penetrated into Ceres icy interior. But the latest image, taken February 19th shows that the bright spot has a companion spot, both inside a crater and still too small to resolve. It’s still a mystery.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Hubble’s best photo of Ceres. Note the white spot near the top of the image. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Parker (Southwest Research Institute), P. Thomas (Cornell University), L. McFadden (University of Maryland, College Park), and M. Mutchler and Z. Levay (STScI)
The white spot shows as Dawn approaches Ceres. Credit: NASA/JPL.
The bright spot is two. Picture taken February 19, 2015 from 29,000 miles (46,700 km). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA.
This photo will be the best photo of the bright spots until the end of April, an Dawn maneuvers over the night side of Ceres.
On March 2nd NASA held a Dawn Mission Pre- Close Approach News Briefing which can be found on YouTube.
03/02/2015 – Ephemeris – The Dawn spacecraft (The turtle wins the race)
Ephemeris for Monday, March 2nd. The sun will rise at 7:19. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 12 minutes, setting at 6:31. The moon, 3 days before full, will set at 6:00 tomorrow morning.
On Thursday March 5th NASA’s Dawn spacecraft will fall under the gravitational influence of the asteroid, or actually recently promoted dwarf planet Ceres and enter orbit. The journey took 7 years including an intermediate year-long stop at the asteroid Vesta. Dawn uses the latest in ion thrusters, or latest when it was launched. Using power generated by its solar panels it ejects xenon ions from one of its three ion thrusters to produce a thrust comparable to the weight of a piece of paper. It can accelerate the spacecraft from zero to 60 miles per hour in a few days. In the tale of the hare and the tortoise it’s in the tortoise class, at least to start. Ion engines are 10 times as efficient as chemical rockets and they can thrust for years.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Artist’s rendition of the Dawn spacecraft at Vesta. Credit: NASA/JPL
Ion engine test. Xenon ions glow blue. Credit NASA.
02/27/2015 – Ephemeris – Previewing the month of March
Ephemeris for Friday, February 27th. The sun will rise at 7:24. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 3 minutes, setting at 6:27. The moon, 2 days past first quarter, will set at 4:08 tomorrow morning.
During March the increase in daylight hours are at its greatest, with Spring 3 weeks away. Daylight hours will increase from 11 hours and 9 minutes Sunday to 12 hours and 42 minutes on the 31st. Along with that the altitude of the sun at noon will increase from 38 degrees Sunday to 49 ½ degrees at month’s end. Local noon, by the way for Interlochen and Traverse City is about 12:50 p.m, which is mainly due to the fact that our standard time meridian happens to run through Philadelphia. That’s before daylight time starts in a bit more than a week. Then our time meridian will run by the eastern tip of Nova Scotia, so local noon, when the Sun is due south will occur at 1:50 p.m.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Star Chart for March 2015. Created using my LookingUp program.
The Moon is not plotted. The planets and stars are plotted for the 15th at 10 p.m. EDT. That is chart time.
Evening astronomical twilight ends at 8:07 p.m. EST on March 1st, increasing to 9:49 p.m. EDT on the 31st.
Morning astronomical twilight starts at 5:43 a.m. EST on March 1st, and decreasing to 5:45 a.m. EDT on the 31st. (Yes it is a decrease, thanks to the imposition of daylight time on March 8th)
Add a half hour to the chart time every week before the 15th and subtract and hour for every week after the 15th.
For a list of constellation names to go with the abbreviations click here.
The green pointer from the Big Dipper is:
- Pointer stars at the front of the bowl of the Big Dipper point to Polaris the North Star.
- Drill a hole in the bowl of the Big Dipper and the water will drip on the back of Leo the Lion.
- Follow the arc of the Big Dipper’s handle to Arcturus
Calendar of Planetary Events
Credit: Sky Events Calendar by Fred Espenak and Sumit Dutta (NASA’s GSFC)
To generate your own calendar go to http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SKYCAL/SKYCAL.html
Times are Eastern Standard Time on a 24 hour clock. Some additions made to aid clarity.
Conjunctions like the Moon-Saturn: 2.4° S means Saturn will appear 2.4° south of the Moon.
| Mar | 01 | Su | Venus: 30.1° E | |
| 05 | Th | 02:35 | Moon Apogee: 406,400 km | |
| 05 | Th | 13:05 | Full Moon | |
| 07 | Sa | 16:04 | Moon Ascending Node | |
| 12 | Th | 04:25 | Moon-Saturn: 2.4° S | |
| 13 | Fr | 13:48 | Last Quarter | |
| 13 | Fr | 21:39 | Moon South Dec.: 18.3° S | |
| 19 | Th | 15:38 | Moon Perigee: 357,600 km | |
| 20 | Fr | 05:36 | New Moon | |
| 20 | Fr | 05:46 | Total Solar Eclipse | |
| 20 | Fr | 18:45 | Vernal Equinox | |
| 20 | Fr | 22:19 | Moon Descending Node | |
| 21 | Sa | 18:13 | Moon-Mars: 1° N | |
| 22 | Su | 15:51 | Moon-Venus: 2.9° N | |
| 25 | We | 02:55 | Moon-Aldebaran: 0.9° S | |
| 26 | Th | 10:29 | Moon North Dec.: 18.2° N | |
| 27 | Fr | 03:43 | First Quarter |
02/26/2015 – Ephemeris – The strange month of February
Ephemeris for Thursday, February 26th. The sun will rise at 7:25. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 1 minute, setting at 6:26. The moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 3:21 tomorrow morning.
Let’s take a shot at why February is the shortest month. Blame the ancient Romans and their poor timekeeping skills. The Roman calendar was based on the Sun, or rather the seasons, what we would call the tropical year, rather than the Moon. With a lunar calendar it was easy to tell if it was off by a day or two. The Romans apparently started with a 12 month calendar starting in March with spring. Before the calendar reform of 45 BC months had alternating days of 29 and 31 except for February which had 28. That left them a bit short, so it appears that they added a month Intercalaris every few years or so to fix it. That eventually came down to adding a day to February every 4 years to fix the problem.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
