Archive
05/27/2013 – Ephemeris – They’re breaking up that old planet gang of mine
Ephemeris for Memorial Day, Monday, May 27th. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 12 minutes, setting at 9:16. The moon, 2 days past full, will rise at 11:51 this evening. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:02. | Tonight the planets Jupiter and Venus will appear close together in the west northwest after 10 p.m. With Mercury above them and to the left. Find a spot with a low western horizon to check them out. The grouping will break up from there. But in the days to come keep checking out Venus and Mercury. A week ago I was doing some telescope work at the Leelanau School’s Lanphier Observatory on the shore of Sleeping Bear bay. It was a gorgeously clear night. Twilight was fading. The fat crescent moon was high in the southwest, with Jupiter in the west. Venus was visible just above the horizon. A great many stars were visible too. The sight took this old astronomer’s breath away.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Update: I spotted the three last night in that tight triangle in a binocular field. Venus was easiest to spot, then Jupiter and Mercury. It was a gorgeous sight.
Addendum
Dance of the planets Jupiter, Venus and Mercury, May 21 thru May 28, 2013. Created using Stellarium. Click on the image to start animation.
05/24/2013 – Ephemeris – The grouping of planets will reach its climax Sunday
Ephemeris for Friday, May 24th. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 7 minutes, setting at 9:13. The moon, 1 day before full, will set at 6:31 tomorrow morning. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:04.
This holiday weekend the planet grouping of Jupiter, Venus and Mercury reach their most compact. The group is collapsing rapidly, and the planets will be at their most compact Sunday night the 26th. For a preview of the planet’s motion go to my blog at bobmoler.wordpress.com. As far as any astronomical significance to this alignment of the planets, there isn’t any. Astrologers make a big deal of such groupings, called conjunctions but astronomers have long since discarded astrology as not having any scientific value. Conjunctions like this are reasonably rare and rather remarkable in appearance. It is for this reason that we track and observe them. The heavens are filled with beauty,
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter, Venus and Mercury at 10 p.m. on May 24, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Dance of the planets Jupiter, Venus and Mercury, May 21 thru May 28, 2013. Created using Stellarium. Click on the image to start animation if it has stopped.
05/23/2013 – Ephemeris – The planetary group tightens
Ephemeris for Thursday, May 23rd. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 5 minutes, setting at 9:12. The moon, 2 days before full, will set at 5:39 tomorrow morning. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:05.
Lets take a look at the planet jam in the west after sunset. There’s a rather short period and a very low western horizon that will let you see them. Jupiter will be on top, with Venus just below and to its right. Mercury will be to Venus’ right and just a bit higher. The separation from Jupiter to Mercury is just under 6 degrees, a bit more than half the width of a fist held at arm’s length. It is generally true that the width of one fist held at arm’s length describes a ten degree angle in the sky, Kind of a rule of thumb, or in this case fist to help one gauge the sky with out a sextant or quadrant. Tomorrow the grouping will be getting even more compact. Reaching their most compact Sunday evening.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter, Venus and Mercury at 10 p.m. on May 23, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Dance of the planets Jupiter, Venus and Mercury, May 21 thru May 28, 2013. Created using Stellarium. Click on the image to start animation.
05/22/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, May 22nd. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 4 minutes, setting at 9:11. The moon, 3 days before full, will set at 4:54 tomorrow morning. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:06.
The early evening will be taken up with the grouping of Jupiter, Venus and Mercury low in the west northwest at about 10 p.m. Jupiter will be on top and the easiest to spot with Venus below and right of Jupiter and tiny Mercury off to its right. Mercury sets at 10:24 p.m., with Venus following a minute later, while Jupiter will set at 10:48. Hanging backing from this planetary grouping in the east southeast will be Saturn this evening, the brightest star-like object in the constellation Virgo appearing yellowish to the left of the extremely blue-white star Spica. Tonight Saturn will be to the left of and above the bright moon. Saturn will pass due south at midnight, and will set at 5:16 tomorrow morning.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Dance of the planets Jupiter, Venus and Mercury, May 21 thru May 28, 2013. Created using Stellarium. Click on the image to start animation.
Saturn and the moon at 10 p.m. on May 22, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
05/21/2013 – Ephemeris – Dances with Planets
Ephemeris for Tuesday, May 21st. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 2 minutes, setting at 9:10. The moon, 3 days past first quarter, will set at 4:17 tomorrow morning. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:07.
Over the next week there will be a planet grouping low in the west about 10 p.m. as Jupiter continues it slide toward the sun while Venus and Mercury move away from the sun. Mercury will earn its title as the messenger of the gods, and fastest planet by overtaking Venus and Jupiter on consecutive nights. The group of the three planets will be their most compact on Sunday night he 26th. Tonight however Mercury will be to the right and a bit below Venus with Jupiter above and left of them both. Tomorrow night Mercury will have moved to be almost level with Venus, while Jupiter drops toward them. On bobmoler.wordpress.com there is an animation of these planets for the next 8 days.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Dance of the planets Jupiter, Venus and Mercury, May 21 thru May 28, 2013. Created using Stellarium. Click on the image to start animation.
05/15/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, May 15th. Today the sun will be up for 14 hours and 49 minutes, setting at 9:03. The moon, 3 days before first quarter, will set at 1:21 tomorrow morning. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:13.
It’s time to check out the bright planets for this week. Venus is starting to make an appearance in the western sky after sunset, competing with the bright twilight glow. It will set in the west northwest at 10:08 p.m.. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus, above the V shape of stars, the face of the bull and is in the west during the evening. It will set at 11:05 p.m. In the west northwest. Jupiter is still high enough as it gets dark to get a very good view of its cloud bands and satellites. Saturn will be low in the east southeast when it gets dark in the evening. It’s located in eastern Virgo, but is moving back a bit toward the bright star Spica to its right. Saturn will move past due south at 12:29 a.m., and set at 5:45 a.m.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter and Venus with the fading stars of winter at 10 p.m. May 15, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn surrounded by the spring constellations at 10:30 p.m. May 15, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
05/08/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets tonight?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, May 8th. The sun rises at 6:22. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 33 minutes, setting at 8:55. The moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 6:06 tomorrow morning.
It’s time to check out the bright planets for this week. Venus is starting to make an appearance in the western twilit sky after sunset, competing with the bright twilight glow. It will set in the west northwest at 9:48. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus, above the V shape of stars, the face of the bull and is in the west during the evening. It will set at 11:28 p. m. In the west northwest. Jupiter is still high enough as it gets dark to get a very good view of its cloud bands and satellites. Saturn will be low in the east southeast when it gets dark in the evening. It’s located in eastern Virgo, but is moving back a bit toward the bright star Spica to its right. Saturn will move past due south at 12:58 a.m., and set at 6:14 a.m.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Venus, Jupiter and the fading stars of winter at 9:45 p.m. May 8, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn and the constellations of spring at 10:30 p.m. May 8, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
05/03/2013 – Ephemeris – Explore the sun and the stars tonight
Ephemeris for Friday, May 3rd. The sun rises at 6:29. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 20 minutes, setting at 8:49. The moon, 1 day past last quarter, will rise at 3:39 tomorrow morning.
Yours truly will present a talk about the sun and its effects on the earth at this evening’s meeting of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory starting at 8 p.m. This is a talk that is prepared to be given to the Friendly Garden Club later this month. It explores how the sun gets its energy and it emphases the life-giving radiation we receive from the sun and how plants, especially use it to create our green oxygenated world. Starting at 9 p.m. Is our first of our star parties for May at the observatory. Highlights, if its clear will be the planets Jupiter and Saturn, plus some of the bright wonders of the spring skies and maybe a star cluster or two. All are welcome.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
05/01/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, May 1st. The sun rises at 6:32. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 15 minutes, setting at 8:47. The moon, 1 day before last quarter, will rise at 2:35 tomorrow morning.
It’s time to check out the two remaining bright planets for this week. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus, above the V shape of stars, the face of the bull and is in the west during the evening. It will set at 11:49 p. m. In the west northwest. Jupiter is still high enough as it gets dark to get a very good view of its cloud bands and satellites. The four moons that Galileo found are easy targets for small telescopes or even sharp eyed binocular observers. The other bright planet Saturn will be low in the east southeast when it gets dark in the evening. It’s located in eastern Virgo, but us moving back a bit toward the bright star Spica to its right. Saturn will move past due south at 1:28 a.m. An event called transiting the meridian.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
I’m including Venus in this image at 9:20 p.m., May 1, 2013. I’ll start talking about it on the program next week. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and the setting stars of winter at 10 p.m. on may 1, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn is seen low in the southeast at 10 p.m. on May 1, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
04/24/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the two bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, April 24th. The sun rises at 6:43. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 55 minutes, setting at 8:38. The moon, 1 day before full, will set at 6:24 tomorrow morning.
It’s time to check out the two remaining bright planets for this week. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus, above the V shape of stars, the face of the bull and is in the west during the evening. It will set at 12:10 a.m. In the west northwest. Jupiter is still high enough as it gets dark to get a very good view of its cloud bands and satellites. The four moons that Galileo found are easy targets for small telescopes or even sharp-eyed binocular observers. The other bright planet Saturn will rise at 8:43 p.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo, but us moving back a bit toward the bright star Spica to its right. Tonight the bright moon will be near Spica, so it may make both Saturn and Spica hard to spot.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter and the fleeing stars of winter at 10 p.m. on April 24, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn and the moon at 10 p.m. on April 24, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Our last look at Comet PanSTARRS at 5 a.m. on April 25 to May 1, 2013. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 