Archive
11/24/2020 – Ephemeris – Next month’s conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn
This is Ephemeris for Tuesday, November 24th. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 14 minutes, setting at 5:06, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:53. The Moon, 3 days past first quarter, will set at 2:57 tomorrow morning.
Over the next 27 days Jupiter and Saturn will draw together to be in conjunction. I don’t know what that means astrologically, since I don’t believe in that stuff. It just means that Jupiter and Saturn lie near the same line of sight from the Earth. Though they will be almost as close as they get to each other, that won’t be that close. They were closest to each other earlier this month, at about 450 million miles (724 million kilometers). Jupiter is now about 525 million miles (845 million kilometers) away from us. Both, of course, are on the other side of the Sun from us. Jupiter, in its nearly 12 year orbit of the Sun laps the slower Saturn in it’s nearly 30 year orbit about every 20 years. It will do so again on November 5th of 2040.
The event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Possible telescopic view of Jupiter-Saturn conjunction 6 pm, December 21, 2020. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Jupiter and Saturn along the same line of sight from the Earth on December 21, 2020. Created using my LookingUp program.
11/17/2020 – Ephemeris – Let’s look for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, November 18th. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 26 minutes, setting at 5:11, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:45. The Moon, halfway from new to first quarter, will set at 8:24 this evening.
Let’s look for the naked-eye planets for this week. Jupiter and Saturn are both low in the southwestern sky 7 to 8 pm. Jupiter is the very bright one. Above and left it will be the somewhat dimmer Saturn. They are near the Moon tonight. They are slowly closing, so they will cross paths on December 21st and be seen in the same telescope field that evening. Jupiter will set first tonight at 9:02 with Saturn following at 9:21. Off in the southeast at that hour will be Mars. Its distance is increasing to 51.5 million miles (82.9 million kilometers) away. Mars will set at 4:10 tomorrow morning. Brilliant Venus will rise at 5:03 am in the east-southeast as it retreats slowly toward the Sun. Close to ending its morning appearance now is Mercury which will rise at 6:15 am in the east.
The event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter, Saturn and Moon low in the southwest at 7:30 pm tonight, November 18, 2020. Created using Stellarium.
Evening planets, Moon, ecliptic and zodiac at 7:30 pm tonight November 18, 2020. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.
Venus and Mercury with the star Spica, the ecliptic (path of the Sun) and the constellation Corvus at 6:30 tomorrow morning November 19, 2020. Created using Stellarium.
The planets as seen in a telescope (north up) with the same magnification for the night of November 18/19, 2020. Times of the display are: Jupiter and Saturn, 7:30 pm; Mars, 10 pm; Venus, 6:30 am. Apparent diameters: Jupiter, 35.30″; Saturn, 15.91″, rings, 37.06″; Mars, 16.72″, and Venus 12.15″. Mars also displays an enlargement showing surface detail. Mars was closest to the Earth this go-a-round on October 6. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise of a single night starting with sunset on the right on November 18, 2020. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 19th. I’m afraid that the labels for Jupiter and Saturn will overlap, since the planets are getting very close. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using my LookingUp program.
11/11/2020 – Ephemeris – Let’s look for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Ephemeris for Veteran’s Day, Wednesday, November 11th. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 43 minutes, setting at 5:18, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:36. The Moon, 3 days past last quarter, will rise at 4:00 tomorrow morning.
Let’s look for the naked-eye planets for this week. Jupiter and Saturn are both low in the southwestern sky at 8 pm. Jupiter is the very bright one. Above and left it will be the somewhat dimmer Saturn. They are closing slowly, so they will cross paths on December 21st and be seen in the same telescope field that evening. Jupiter will set first tonight at 9:24 with Saturn following at 9:46. Off in the southeast at that hour will be Mars. Its distance is increasing to 47.7 million miles (76.9 million km) away. Mars will set at 4:35 tomorrow morning. Brilliant Venus will rise at 4:46 am in the east as it retreats slowly toward the Sun. Making a morning appearance this week is Mercury which will rise at 5:52 am in the east.
The event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Evening planet finder animation for 8 pm November 11, 2020. The orange line is the ecliptic, the plane of the Earth’s orbit projected on the sky, and the path of the Sun through the year. All the planets can be found near that line. The zodiacal constellations from Taurus on the left to Capricornus on the right are shown without labels. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium and GIMP.
Mercury, Venus, and the Moon tomorrow morning November 12, 2020 at 6:30 am. The orange line is the ecliptic, the plane of the Earth’s orbit. It is the path of the Sun in the sky, The Moon is a crescent, and displayed at twice its apparent size. Over the next week Venus and Mercury will slide downward along the ecliptic in relation to the stars. Created using Stellarium.
The thin crescent Moon as it might appear in binoculars with earthshine at 6:30 am, November 12, 2020. The very dark crater visible is Grimaldi a 134 mile or 222 kilometer diameter crater named after Francesco Grimaldi a 17th century Jesuit astronomer and physicist. Created using Stellarium.
The planets as seen in a telescope (north up) with the same magnification for the night of November 11/12, 2020. Times of the display are: Jupiter and Saturn, 8 pm; Mars, 11 pm; Venus, 6:30 am. Apparent diameters: Jupiter, 35.90″; Saturn, 16.07″, rings, 37.43″. Mars, 18.04″, and Venus 12.49″. Mars also displays an enlargement showing surface detail. Mars was closest to the Earth this go round on October 6. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise of a single night starting with sunset on the right on November 11, 2020. The night ends on the left with sunrise on 12th. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using my LookingUp program.
11/04/2020 – Ephemeris – Let’s find the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, November 4th. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 1 minute, setting at 5:26, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:26. The Moon, half way from full to last quarter, will rise at 8:04 this evening.
Let’s find the naked-eye planets for this week. Jupiter and Saturn are both low in the southwestern sky at 8 pm. Jupiter is the very bright one. Above and left it will be the somewhat dimmer Saturn. They are closing slowly, so they will cross paths on December 21st and be in the same telescope field that evening. Jupiter will set first tonight at 9:42 with Saturn following at 10:07. Off in the southeast at that hour will be Mars. Since the it was closest 29 days ago its distance has increased to 45.0 million miles (72.4 million kilometers) away. Mars will set at 5:04 tomorrow morning. Brilliant Venus will rise at 4:29 am in the east as it retreats slowly toward the Sun. Beginning to make a morning appearance now will be Mercury rising at 5:52 a.m. in the east.
The event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The evening planets and the Moon at 8 pm, just before the Moon will rise, tonight, November 4, 2020. Created using Stellarium.
The waning gibbous Moon as it might be seen in binoculars or a small telescope at 9 pm tonight November 4, 2020. Created using Stellarium.
The morning planets Venus and Mercury visible tomorrow at 6:30 am, November 5, 2020 with some of the stars of morning. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.
The planets as seen in a telescope (north up) with the same magnification for the night of November 4/5, 2020. Times of the display are: Jupiter and Saturn, 8 pm; Mars, 10 pm; Venus, 6:30 am. Apparent diameters: Jupiter, 36.55″; Saturn, 16.24″, rings, 37.83″. Mars, 19.34″, and Venus 12.87″. Mars also displays an enlargement showing surface detail. Mars was closest to the Earth this go-a-round on October 6. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise of a single night starting with sunset on the right on November 4, 2020. The night ends on the left with sunrise on 5th. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using my LookingUp program.
10/28/2020 – Ephemeris – Let’s look for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, October 28th. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 20 minutes, setting at 6:36, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:17. The Moon, 3 days before full, will set at 6:05 tomorrow morning.
Let’s look for the naked-eye planets for this week. Jupiter and Saturn are both low in the south-southwestern sky at 8 pm. Jupiter is the very bright one. Left and a bit above it will be the somewhat dimmer Saturn. They are closing slowly, so they will cross paths on December 21st and be in the same telescope field that evening. Jupiter will set first tonight at 11:08 with Saturn following at 11:37. Off in the east-southeast at that hour will be Mars. Since the it was closest 22 days ago its distance has increased to 42.0 million miles (67.6 million km) away. Brilliant Venus will rise at 5:12 am in the east as it retreats slowly toward the Sun. We’ll have a big jump backwards in rise and set times next week when standard time returns.
The event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The evening planets and the Moon at 8 pm tonight, October 28, 2020. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.
The waxing gibbous Moon tonight October 28, 2020 as it might appear in binoculars or a low power telescope. Created using Stellarium.
The morning planet Venus visible at 7 am October 29, 2020 with some of the stars of morning. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.
The planets as seen in a telescope (north up) with the same magnification for the night of October 28/29, 2020. Times of the display are: Jupiter and Saturn, 8 pm; Mars, 11 pm; Venus, 7 am. Apparent diameters: Jupiter, 37.26″; Saturn, 16.42″, rings, 38.25″. Mars, 20.27″, and Venus 13.29″. Mars also displays an enlargement showing surface detail. Mars was closest to the Earth this go-a-round on October 6. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise of a single night starting with sunset on the right on October 28, 2020. The night ends on the left with sunrise on 29th. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using my LookingUp program.
10/22/2020 – Ephemeris – Tonight the Moon is hanging out with Jupiter and Saturn
This is Ephemeris for Thursday, October 22nd. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 37 minutes, setting at 6:45, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:09. The Moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 11:41 this evening.
The fat crescent Moon and the planets Jupiter and Saturn will make a pretty triangle low in the southwestern sky tonight. Jupiter has been noticeably approaching Saturn the last few years. Their paths will appear to cross for us the evening of December 21st, the first day of winter. I won’t make any bets on it being clear that night, or any night around here in December. On the 21st of December they will be seen low in the southwest in twilight a third of the diameter of the Moon apart, and both be seen together in binoculars or low power telescope. The eye should resolve them, though Jupiter’s brightness compared to Saturn may make that difficult. Jupiter passes Saturn on average every 20 years.
The event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter, Saturn, and Moon triangle as it will appear in the south at 8 pm in the eastern US. In the western US the Moon will slide closer to Saturn at the same local time. Created using Stellarium.
10/21/2020 – Ephemeris – Let’s look for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, October 21st. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 40 minutes, setting at 6:47, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:08. The Moon, 2 days before first quarter, will set at 10:39 this evening.
Let’s look for the naked-eye planets for this week. Jupiter and Saturn are both low in the south-southwestern sky at 9 pm. Jupiter is the very bright one. Left and a bit above it will be the somewhat dimmer Saturn. They are closing slowly, so they will cross paths on December 21st and be in the same telescope field that evening. Jupiter will set first tonight at 11:28 with Saturn following at midnight. Off in the east-southeast at 9 pm will be Mars. Since the it was closest 15 days ago its distance is slowly increasing to 40.1 million miles (64.6 million km) away. Brilliant Venus will rise at 4:55 am in the east as it retreats slowly toward the Sun. It’s brilliant and looks like a tiny featureless gibbous moon in telescopes.
The event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The evening planets and the Moon at 9 pm tonight, October 21, 2020. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.
The waxing crescent Moon tonight October 21, 2020 as it might appear in binoculars or a low power telescope. Created using Stellarium.
The morning planet Venus visible at 7 am October 22, 2020 with some of the stars of morning. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.
The planets as seen in a telescope (north up) with the same magnification for the night of October 21/22, 2020. Times of the display are: Jupiter and Saturn, 9 pm; Mars, 11 pm; Venus, 7 am. Apparent diameters: Jupiter, 38.01″; Saturn, 16.61″, rings, 38.69″. Mars, 21.57″, and Venus 13.75″. Mars also displays an enlargement showing surface detail. Mars was closest to the Earth this go-a-round on October 6. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise of a single night starting with sunset on the right on October 21, 2020. The night ends on the left with sunrise on 22nd. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using my LookingUp program.
10/14/2020 – Ephemeris – Let’s look for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, October 14th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 1 minute, setting at 6:58, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:58. The Moon, 2 days before new, will rise at 6:10 tomorrow morning.
Let’s look for the naked-eye planets for this week. Jupiter and Saturn are both low in the south-southwestern sky at 9 pm. Jupiter is the very bright one. Left and a bit above it will be the somewhat dimmer Saturn. They are closing slowly, so they will cross paths on December 21st and be in the same telescope field that evening. Jupiter will set first tonight at 11:52 with Saturn following at 12:29 am. Off in the east-southeast at 9 pm will be Mars. Since the Earth passed it yesterday its distance is slowly increasing to 38.9 million miles (62.7 million kilometers) away. Brilliant Venus will rise at 4:39 am in the east as it retreats slowly toward the Sun. It’s brilliant and looks like a tiny featureless gibbous moon in telescopes.
The event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Evening Planets animation showing Jupiter, Saturn and Mars with the constellations of the zodiac for 9 pm October 14, 2020. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.
Morning planet animation for 6:45 am tomorrow October 15, 2020. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.
The waning thin crescent Moon about a day and a half from new. as it might be seen in binoculars with earthshine at 6:45 am tomorrow morning October 15, 2020. Created using Stellarium.
The planets as seen in a telescope (north up) with the same magnification for the night of October 14/15, 2020. Times of the display are: Jupiter and Saturn, 9 pm; Mars, 11 pm; Venus, 7 am. Apparent diameters: Jupiter, 38.82″; Saturn, 16.81″, rings, 39.15″; Mars, 22.27″; and Venus 14.27″. Mars also displays an enlargement showing surface detail. Mars was closest to the Earth this go-a-round on October 6, and at opposition yesterday. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise of a single night starting with sunset on the right on October 14, 2020. The night ends on the left with sunrise on 15th. Click on the image to enlarge. Mars, near opposition and a bit south of the ecliptic, actually rises after sunset, so I included it in the sunset chart even though it is below the horizon at sunset. Created using my LookingUp program.
10/07/2020 – Ephemeris – Let’s look for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, October 7th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 22 minutes, setting at 7:11, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:50. The Moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 10:23 this evening.
Let’s look for the naked-eye planets for this week. Jupiter and Saturn are both low in the southern sky at 9 pm. Jupiter is the very bright one. To the left of it will be the somewhat dimmer Saturn which is just about due south at that hour. They are closing slowly, so they will cross paths on December 21st. Jupiter will set first at 12:23 tomorrow morning with Saturn following at 1 am. Off in the east will be Mars which will rise at 7:33 pm. It’s now down to 38.6 million miles (62.1 million km) away, as the Earth is about to overtake it. Brilliant Venus will rise at 4:24 am as it retreats slowly toward the Sun. It looks like a tiny featureless gibbous moon in telescopes. Its clouds of sulfuric acid are quite featureless in visible light.
The event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars arrayed from south-southwest to east at 9 pm tonight October 7, 2020. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.
Venus, the Moon and Mars among the stars of winter but at 7 am October 8, 2020. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.
The waning gibbous Moon as it might be seen in binoculars at 7 am tomorrow October 8, 2020. Created using Stellarium.
The planets as seen in a telescope (north up) with the same magnification for the night of October 7/8, 2020. Times of the display are: Jupiter and Saturn, 9 pm; small Mars, 9 pm; enlarged Mars, 11 pm, Venus, 7 am. Apparent diameters: Jupiter, 39.64″; Saturn, 17.00″, rings, 39.60″. Mars, 22.56″, and Venus 14.86″. Mars also displays an enlargement showing surface detail. On the Mars enlargement the large dark feature to the upper left of center is Syrtis Major, and the bright area below it is the Hellas Basin. Mars was closest to the Earth this go-a-round on October 6. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise of a single night starting with sunset on the right on October 7, 2020. The night ends on the left with sunrise on 8th. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using my LookingUp program.
09/29/2020 – Ephemeris – Let’s look for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 30th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 43 minutes, setting at 7:24, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:41. The Moon, 1 day before full, will set at 7:11 tomorrow morning.
Let’s look for the naked-eye planets for this week. Jupiter and Saturn are both low in the southern sky at 9 pm. Jupiter is the very bright one. To the left of it will be the somewhat dimmer Saturn which is just about due south at that hour. They are now seemly to close a tiny bit, and they will cross paths on December 21st. Jupiter will set first at 12:48 tomorrow morning with Saturn following at 1:27 am. The next planet visible will be Mars which will rise at 8:12 pm. It’s now down to 38.8 million miles (62.5 million km) away, as the Earth very slowly overtook it by 1.0 million miles (1.5 million km) last week as the Mars will be at its closest in 7 days. Brilliant Venus will rise at 4:07 am as it retreats slowly toward the Sun.
The event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter, Saturn, the Moon and Mars arrayed from south-southwest to east at 9 pm tonight September 30, 2020. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.
The Moon as it might appear in binoculars or a small telescope tonight at 9 pm, September 30, 2020. Created using Stellarium.
Venus, Mars, the Moon and the stars of winter but at 6 am October 1, 2020. The bright star under Venus is Regulus in Leo the lion. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium.
The planets as seen in a telescope (north up) with the same magnification for the night of September 30/October 1, 2020. Times of the display are: Jupiter and Saturn, 9 pm; Mars, Midnight; Venus, 6 am. Apparent diameters: Jupiter, 40.53″; Saturn, 17.20″, rings, 40.07″. Mars, 22.45″, and Venus 15.52″. Jupiter’s moon Io is behind the planet and will reappear at 12:02 am. Mars also displays an enlargement showing surface detail. Mars will be closest to the Earth this go-a-round on October 6. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise of a single night starting with sunset on the right on September 30, 2020. The night ends on the left with sunrise on October 1st. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using my LookingUp program.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 