Archive
02/09/2015 – Ephemeris – How to find the constellation of Cancer the crab
Ephemeris for Monday, February 9th. The sun will rise at 7:52. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 10 minutes, setting at 6:02. The moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 11:51 this evening.
A small, dim member of the zodiac is Cancer the crab. It’s dim stars make to my eyes and upside down letter Y. It lies between Gemini to the upper right and Leo to the lower left, especially as it is still rising in the southeastern sky at 9 p.m. Right now the bright planet Jupiter is about half way between it and Leo. It does have a relatively bright fuzzy object to the naked eye amongst it’s stars, positioned roughly in the center. It was discovered as a fuzzy spot before the invention of the telescope and called Praesepe, the manger. With the invention of the telescope it was discovered to be a loose group of stars in an open or galactic star cluster. This easy binocular object is best known now as the Beehive cluster or M44.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The zodiacal constellation Cancer with Jupiter nearby in the southeast at 9 p.m. February 9, 2015. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
The Beehive star cluster, M44. Its ancient name was the Praesepe or manger when glimpsed by the naked eye. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
M44 is a young star cluster, perhaps 600-700 million years old and only 577 light years away. It is an open or galactic star cluster. It only appears outside the band of the Milky Way because it’s close to us. The same cannot be said for M67.
Finder Chart for open cluster M67, found just west of α Cancri, or Acubens. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
M67 is a fuzzy spot in binoculars but really shows its beauty in telescopes. M67 is pretty old for an open star cluster, one of the oldest known, at about the age of the Sun or a bit younger. It’s nearly 3,000 light years away, so it really is out of the plane of the galaxy.
02/06/2015 – Ephemeris – The GTAS will entertain the NMC Students in a Star Bowl Quiz tonight
Ephemeris for Friday, February 6th. The sun will rise at 7:56. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 2 minutes, setting at 5:58. The moon, 3 days past full, will rise at 8:55 this evening.
Tonight the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will have for its meeting at 8 p.m. at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory its nearly annual Star Bowl contest with The Northwestern Michigan College astronomy students, and NMC Astronomy Club members facing the returning champions, the GTAS. This Jeopardy style game will be hosted by NMC Professor Jerry Dobek. Come and watch or even take part if you’d like. At 9 p.m. the society will host a star party at the observatory with the Moon and Jupiter as featured objects. Folks can still bring in their telescopes for help during this time. The observatory is located south of Traverse City on Birmley Road between Garfield and Keystone roads.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter through a telescope at 9 p.m. (EST), on February 6, 2015. The four Galilean moon will be stretched out on one side of Jupiter in order of their actual distances from the planet. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
The Moon tonight (February 6, 2015). The Moon will rise shortly before the start of the Star Party. Created using Virtual Moon Atlas.
02/05/2015 – Ephemeris more about Jupiter it’s motion and mass
Thursday, February 5th. The sun will rise at 7:57. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 59 minutes, setting at 5:56. The moon, 2 days past full, will rise at 7:57 this evening.
Tomorrow the planet Jupiter will reach opposition from the Sun being about 180 degrees opposite the Sun in the sky. At opposition Jupiter is it’s closest to the earth, and appears its largest in a telescope, except for Venus when it is at its very closest to the Earth. This second brightest planet was named for the chief of the Roman gods, and takes a majestic 12 years to circumnavigate the sky staying in each zodiacal constellation for a year. It is currently between Cancer on the right and Leo on the left. In fact it crossed the astronomical boundary back into Cancer. Since we view all the other planets from our own moving planet, their apparent paths back up westward from their normal eastward motion when we are nearest them.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
I published this track of Jupiter’s motion for this Jovian viewing season a week ago, showing it’s backward or retrograde motion as we pass it.
Jupiter’s retrograde path against the stars between Cancer and Leo October 2014 to July 2015. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts). Click on the image to enlarge.
The planet Jupiter is the largest planet and also most massive. In fact Jupiter contains more mass than all the other planets of the solar system combined times 2.
Masses of all the planets including the dwarf planet Pluto in terms of the Earth’s mass. Credit: University of Tennessee.
Or as the late great science and science fiction writer Isaac Asimov wrote: “The solar system is composed of the Sun, Jupiter and debris.”
Feeling small yet?
02/04/2015 – Ephemeris – We have 4 bright planets and a fading comet
Ephemeris for Wednesday, February 4th. The sun will rise at 7:58. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 56 minutes, setting at 5:55. The moon, 1 day past full, will rise at 6:59 this evening.
Lets take a look at the bright planets and a reasonably bright comet for this week. Brilliant Venus is in the west-southwest by 6:30 p.m. It will set at 8 p.m. Mars appears above and left of Venus in the southwest. Both of them are in the constellation of Aquarius. The Red Planet will set tonight at 8:43 p.m. Jupiter, 2 days from being in opposition from the sun, and opposite the sun in the sky, when it will be rising at sunset and setting at sunrise will rise tonight in the east at 5:49 p.m. It’s near the sickle-shaped head of Leo the lion. It will be seen above the Moon at 9 p.m. Early risers will be able to spot Saturn which will rise in the east-southeast at 3:06 a.m. Comet Lovejoy, visible in binoculars, is near the star at the end of Andromeda, called Almaak.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Evening
Venus and Mars low in the west with the setting autumn constellations and a few northern summer stars at 7 p.m. on February 4, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter the Moon and the bright winter stars at 8 p.m. on February 4, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and its Galilean moons as they might appear in a telescope. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
The Moon as it might appear in binoculars at 8 p.m. on February 4, 2015. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
The track of Comet 2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) from 2/04/15 to 02/10/15 which will appear high in the west at 9 p.m. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
Morning
Saturn will appear above the red giant star Antares at 6 a.m. February 5, 2015. At this time Jupiter and the Moon will appear above the western horizon. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
What Saturn and its moons might appear like in a telescope at 6 a.m., February 5, 2015. Small telescopes will show only the moon Titan. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
02/03/2015 – Ephemeris – Jupiter is really big and spins really fast
Ephemeris for Tuesday, February 3rd. The sun will rise at 7:59. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 54 minutes, setting at 5:53. The moon, at full today, will rise at 6:01 this evening.
Jupiter will appear to the left of the full moon tonight. The Galilean moons will be spread out with Callisto by its lonesome on one side then Europa, Io and Ganymede spaced out on the other. Jupiter’s cloud bands show the great planet’s rotation, and that the moon’s orbit over Jupiter’s equator, like most of the moons of the other planets. The clouds are whipped into parallel bands by Jupiter’s rapid rotation. Here’s a planet 11 times the diameter of the Earth, thirteen hundred times the volume, and over 300 times the mass of the Earth, rotating nearly two and a half times faster than the Earth. The equatorial rotation is 9 hours 50 minutes. The rapid rotation squishes the planet noticeably, which the cloud stripes visually enhance.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Rocking animation of the early stages of the shadow show on Jupiter. Callisto’s shadow already on the planet while Io’s shadow is just entering. Also Io’s transit is starting., following its shadow on the planet. Credit: Scott Anttila.
The above animation which I first posted last week demonstrates three of my points about Jupiter. The planet rotates rapidly, it’s polar diameter is shorter by about 7% than the equatorial diameter, and the satellites orbit over its equator. Jupiter also has a small axial tilt of 3º compared to the Earth’s 23 1/2º. As an aside we’re in the “season” where the satellites occult and eclipse each other.
Telescopic Jupiter tonight (9 p.m. February 3, 2015) as described in the text of the program. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
01/29/2015 – Ephemeris – The first thing noticed about Jupiter in a telescope
Ephemeris for Thursday, January 29th. The sun will rise at 8:05. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 41 minutes, setting at 5:46. The moon, 3 days past first quarter, will set at 4:33 tomorrow morning.
If it’s clear tonight dress up warmly and take the telescope out to look Jupiter. Jupiter is the brightest star-like object out tonight. It outshines Sirius the brightest night-time star lower in the sky and to its right. Jupiter, being the largest planet most of the time is the biggest planet in the telescope, It’s only challenger is Venus for a couple of months when its closest to us. The first thing one notices about Jupiter in a telescope is that it has companions, up to 4, strung out on either side of the planet. Those are the four moons or satellites discovered by Galileo in 1610. They will shift position from night to night and even as you watch. They can hide behind Jupiter or in its shadow or in front of the planet.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter’s retrograde path against the stars between Cancer and Leo October 2014 to July 2015. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts). Click to enlarge.
Jupiter and its four Galilean moons. The planet has to be over exposed to pick up the moons. But the eye can handle the brightness difference with no problem. This is one of my old pictures back in the days of film.
Jupiter with a solar eclipse in progress as Ganymede, lower left, casts its shadow on Jupiter on November 14, 2011. Credit: Scott Anttila.
Check out the Great Red Spot (GRS) above Ganymede’s shadow. It’s not really red. When I first aimed my telescope toward Jupiter back in the late 1950’s the GRS was indeed very red. Nowadays the GRS is very hard to find.
01/28/2015 – Ephemeris – Wednesday is bright planet and comet day on Ephemeris
Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 28th. The sun will rise at 8:06. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 39 minutes, setting at 5:45. The moon, 2 days past first quarter, will set at 3:37 tomorrow morning.
Lets take a look at the bright planets and a pretty bright comet for this week. Venus is in the west-southwest by 6:30 p.m. It will set at 7:41. Mercury is now too close to the direction of the sun to be seen. Mars appears above and left of Venus in the southwest, and is in the constellation of Aquarius. The Red Planet will set tonight at 8:42 p.m. Jupiter, 9 days from being in opposition from the sun, and opposite the sun in the sky, when it will be rising at sunset and setting at sunrise will rise tonight in the east at 6:27 p.m. It’s near the sickle-shaped head of Leo the lion. Early risers will be able to spot Saturn which will rise in the east-southeast at 3:32 a.m. Comet Lovejoy, visible in binoculars, is near the short end of the constellation of Triangulum.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Venus and Mars with the setting autumn constellations at 7 p.m. January 28, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter, the Moon and the constellations of winter at 9 p.m. January 28, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
What the moon might look like in binoculars at 9 p.m. January 28, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
What Jupiter and its moons might appear like in a telescope at 9 p.m., January 28, 2015. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
Saturn and a preview of the summer constellations at 6:30 a.m. January 29, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
What Saturn and its moons might appear like in a telescope at 6:30 a.m., January 29, 2015. Small telescopes will show only the moon Titan. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
Comet Lovejoy
The track of Comet Lovejoy for the next week (from 1/28/2015 to 2/03/2015 at 9 p.m.) Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
There are some fuzzy objects in this part of the sky. However only M31, the Great Andromeda Galaxy, is bright enough to be mistaken for the comet. Next Tuesday and Wednesday the comet will appear close to Almaak (γ Andromedae), a 2nd magnitude star. Note: six of the seven Big Dipper stars are 2nd magnitude.
01/26/2015 – Ephemeris – First quarter Moon, a telescopic asteroid misses the Earth tonight and a Jupiter shadow recap
Note: Ephemeris program generally features objects in the sky that are visible to the naked eye or binoculars. However in the blog, with the ability to expand in both content and illustrations I can add information for telescopic observers and expand postings.
Ephemeris for Monday, January 26th. The sun will rise at 8:08. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 34 minutes, setting at 5:42. The moon, at first quarter today, will set at 1:30 tomorrow morning.
The Moon will be perfectly half illuminated by the sun at 11:48 p.m. The gray patches that appear on the Moon’s surface were called by early telescopic astronomers: seas; because they thought they were bodies of water. The Moon is pretty much bone dry, except for some eternally shadowed craters at the poles, which still aren’t wet because the water is frozen. Anyway the seas or maria on the moon are indeed low spots. The seas, from the top center of the moon down to the lower right are Serenity, Tranquility, Nectar and Fertility. To the upper right all by itself is the Sea of Crises. From Serenity to Fertility some can imagine an upside down rabbit, with ears of unequal sizes. In a few more days we’ll see the face of the man in the Moon.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addenda
First Quarter Moon
Rabbit in the first quarter Moon. Created using Virtual Moon Atlas.
Tonight Asteroid 2004 BL86 will pass three times the Moon’s distance from the Earth
This evening a rather large asteroid for a Near Earth Object or NEO will pass three-quarters of a million miles from the Earth. The asteroid has the designation 2004 BL86. The cool thing is that this asteroid is half a kilometer or so meters across, that’s 5 soccer or football fields in diameter. Radar from this close passage should nail down the size and shape. Between Goldstone Tracking Station and Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico the asteroid should be mapped down to 2 to 4 meters. It would be definitely not cool if this asteroid ever hit the Earth. It will be 9th magnitude, and so will be visible in small telescopes, and it will cross the east or left side of the Beehive star cluster also designated M44 starting about midnight tonight.
If you want to observe the event and don’t have the equipment head on over to www.slooh.com. This is the site for Slooh (pronounced “slew”) Community Observatory which has observatories in the Canary Islands and Chile, and partners with others. Besides these events, members can schedule time and use the telescopes via the internet. Check the above link for more information.
The chart below is from NASA/JPL’s Near Earth Object Program: Updated Charts for Asteroid 2004 BL86 Earth Flyby on Jan 26, 2015
The track of asteroid 2004 BL86 as viewed from the Earth, plotted on a star chart with an equatorial coordinate grid. The asteroid location is shown at four-hour intervals from January 26 to 28. The indicated times are Universal Time; subtract 5 hours for Eastern Standard Time (EST), 6 hours for CST, and 8 hours for PST. On January 26, the asteroid will pass within 11 degrees of Jupiter, now shining brightly in the east in the evening sky. Image and caption credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech. JPL orbit solution #43, with star chart graphics produced using C2A. Click to enlarge.
Below is a chart from Universe Today. Here’s a link to their web page.
A Black on white chart of asteroid 2004 BL86 crossing to the right of M44. Note that the actual path depends on your location since the chart is based on the center of the Earth. The closer to your horizon the greatest deviation from the path shown. Time Ticks are for CST. Add one hour to them for EST. The Midnight tick mark is 0 h UT or GMT the 27th. Credit Universe Today and created with Chris Marriott’s SkyMap software.
Sky and Telescope has charts that have BL86’s track plotted about 15 minutes ahead of the track above. It is a newer chart, so the asteroid’s position may have been updated. The Sky and Telescope narrative and charts are here.
Results from Jupiter’s early Saturday satellite shadow play
The video live feed from the Griffith Planetarium in Los Angeles was a bust. It suffered from what astronomers call bad seeing. I mean really horrible seeing. Astronomers ascribe at least two qualities to the sky, other than brightness due to the moon or light pollution. That is transparency and seeing. Seeing is the steadiness of the sky. What Jupiter looked like was looking at a small disk at the bottom of a swimming pool while the kids are still playing in it. At first I ascribed it to Jupiter being low in the LA sky, being 3 hours west of here. But it didn’t get better as the night progressed. I could occasionally make out Callisto’s shadow, just because I knew where it’s supposed to be. But that’s it.
However my friend from the Detroit area, Scott Anttila, blessed at least for a while with clearer and calmer skies got some wonderful pictures of the first part of the multiple shadow event.
Left to right the shadows of Io and Callisto crossing the face of Jupiter at 12:52 a.m. January 24, 2015. Credit Scott Anttila.
Note that Callisto has a larger shadow than Io. That’s mainly due to it’s greater distance from Jupiter that makes its shadow larger and fuzzier than the closer Io.
In this picture Io’s shadow has just caught up with Callisto’s shadow. Credit: Scott Anttila.
Rocking animation of the early stages of the shadow show on Jupiter. Callisto’s shadow already on the planet while Io’s shadow is just entering. Also Io’s transit is starting, following its shadow on the planet. Credit: Scott Anttila
01/21/2015 – Ephemeris – Our weekly look at the bright planets and a comet
Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 21st. The sun will rise at 8:12. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 23 minutes, setting at 5:35. The moon, 1 day past new, will set at 7:29 this evening.
Lets take a look at the bright planets and a pretty bright comet for this week. Venus and Mercury are close low in the southwest by 6:30 p.m.. Mercury is about 8 moon widths at about 4 o’clock angle from the brighter Venus. Tonight the Noon will be above and between them. Mercury will set at 6:59, while Venus will set at 7:22 p.m. Mars appear above and left of Venus in the southwest, and is in the constellation of Aquarius. The Red Planet will set tonight at 8:41 p.m. Jupiter will rise in the east at 6:59 p.m. It’s near the sickle-shaped head of Leo the lion. Early risers will be able to spot Saturn which will rise in the east-southeast at 3:57 a.m. Comet Lovejoy, visible in binoculars, is a bit more than the width of a fist to the right of the Pleiades.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Venus, Mercury and the crescent Moon, which will be a lot dimmer than seen here, with Mars at 6:30 p.m. January 21, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
One day old Moon at 6:30 p.m., January 21, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and the winter constellations at 9 p.m., January 21, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and 4 Galilean moons through a telescope. The moon’s aren’t really that bright compared to Jupiter. The time for this observation will be 9 p.m. January 21, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
The track of Comet Lovejoy for the next week (from 1/21/2015 to 1/27/2015 at 9 p.m.) Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
What we need in the depths of winter, a preview of the summer stars, 5 months hence, but at 7 a.m. January 22, 2015. Saturn is visible in Scorpius. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn and its moons at 7 a.m., January 22, 2015. Actually only Titan would be visible in small telescopes. Created using Stellarium.
01/14/2015 – Ephemeris – Five bright planets and Comet Lovejoy are visible now
Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 14th. The sun will rise at 8:17. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 9 minutes, setting at 5:26. The moon, 1 day past last quarter, will rise at 3:05 tomorrow morning.
Lets take a look at the bright planets and a pretty bright comet for this week. Venus and Mercury are side by side low in the southwest by 6 p.m. Mercury is about 2 and a half moon widths to the right of the much brighter Venus. Mercury will set at 7:02, while Venus will set at 7:03 p.m. Mars is low in the southwest at 7 p.m. and is in the constellation of Aquarius. The Red Planet will set tonight at 8:39 p.m. Jupiter will rise in the east at 7:31 p.m. It’s near the sickle shaped head of Leo the lion. Early risers will be able to spot Saturn which will rise in the east-southeast at 4:21 a.m. Comet Lovejoy, visible in binoculars, makes an equilateral triangle with the V shaped head of Taurus and the Pleiades, to the right of both.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Venus, Mercury and Mars at 6:15 p.m. on January 14, 2015. Note that Mercury is getting dimmer, and Venus is overtaking Mars which is a bit more than a month away. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and the winter constellations at 9 p.m. on January 14, 2015. Comet Lovejoy is not shown. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and it’s Galilean satellites as seen in a telescope at 9 p.m. on January 14, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn and the Moon at 7 a.m., January 15, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
The Moon as it would be seen in binoculars at 7 a.m., January 15, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn as seen with a telescope at 7 a.m., January 15, 2015. Titan is visible in most small telescopes. Created using Stellarium.
Comet Lovejoy
We finally had a clear night. Comet Lovejoy was not visible to me to the naked eye last night. But I thing an observer far from city lights and perfectly dark adapted might be able to spot it. It was a great sight in 10X50 binoculars. it was a bright featureless round blob of light. I couldn’t spot a tail, which I expected. My friend Scott Anttila, an excellent astrophotographer unfortunately has moved down to the Detroit area and is hindered by the lights down there. However he was able to get this image of the comet sans tail. But the green color of the come shows wonderfully. Unfortunately our eyes don’t register color at low light levels.
Scott Anttila’s photo of Comet Lovejoy from the light polluted skies of the Detroit area.
The track of Comet Lovejoy for the next week (from 1/14/2015 to 1/20/2015 at 9 p.m.) Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 