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04/17/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, April 17th. The sun rises at 6:54. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 35 minutes, setting at 8:30. The moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 2:49 tomorrow morning.
It’s time to check out the two remaining bright planets for this week. I’m no longer going to cover Comet PanSTARRS here, since it has dropped below naked eye visibility, but I will provide finder charts in the Ephemeris blog at bobmoler.wordpress.com for the next few weeks. 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 12:27 a.m. The other bright planet Saturn will rise at 9:13 p.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. It will pass due south at 2:27 a.m. Both planets are wonderful sights in telescopes. Jupiter with its cloud bands and moons, Saturn with those fantastic rings.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter and the setting stars of winter at 10 p.m., April 17, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn rising with the bright stars of late spring at 10 p.m., April 17, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Comet PanSTARRS is moving through Cassiopeia from 04/17/13 to 4/23/13 at 11 p.m. low in the north north-east. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts). It requires binoculars or telescope to spot.
04/10/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are Comet PanSTARRS and the two bright planets thia week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, April 10th. The sun will rise at 7:06. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 14 minutes, setting at 8:21. The moon is new today, and won’t be visible.
It’s time to check out a comet and the two remaining bright planets for this week. Comet PanSTARRS is in the northwest in the evening, moving away from the sun and us, and getting a little higher in the sky as it moves northward. The comet will no longer set though it is best seen in the evening and mornings just after the end of evening twilight and before morning twilight. The comet is now down to near 6th magnitude, strictly a binocular object. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus and is in the west during the evening. It will set at 12:51 a.m. The other bright planet Saturn will rise at 9:43 p.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. It will pass due south at 2:56 a.m. Both planets are wonderful sights in telescopes. Saturn has those wonderful rings.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter and the setting winter stars at 10 p.m. on April 10, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn rising with bright stars of spring at 11 p.m. April 10, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Comet PanSTARRS at the end of twilight at 10 p.m. for the seven days starting April 10, 2013. Created using Cartes du Ciel.
Comet PanSTARRS at the beginning of twilight 5:20 a.m. for the dates listed. Created using Cartes du Ciel.
04/03/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are Comet PanSTARRS and the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, April 3rd. The sun will rise at 7:19. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 53 minutes, setting at 8:12. The moon, at last quarter today, will rise at 3:57 tomorrow morning.
It’s time to check out a comet and the two remaining bright planets for this week. Comet PanSTARRS is in the northwest, moving away from the sun, and getting a little higher in the sky as it moves northward rather than eastward. The comet will set at 11:22 p.m. The comet is now down to near 5th magnitude, strictly a binocular object. It’s also visible in the morning, rising at 3:04 a.m. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus and is in the west during the evening. It will set at 1:16 a.m. The other bright planet Saturn will rise at 10:13 p.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. It will pass due south at 3:26 a.m. Both planets are wonderful sights in telescopes. Saturn is the most beautiful of planets with its rings.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Comet PanSTARRS at 9:30 p.m. for the period April 3 through 9, 2013. Created using Cartes du Ciel.
Jupiter with the setting constellations of winter at 10 p.m. on April 3, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn rising at 11:30 p.m. on April 3, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Comet PanSTARRS in the morning at 5:45 for the period April 4 through 10, 2013. Created using Cartes du Ciel.
03/27/2013 – Ephemeris – Where’s Comet PanSTARRS and the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, March 27th. The sun will rise at 7:32. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 31 minutes, setting at 8:04. The moon, at full today, will rise at 8:49 this evening.
It’s time to check out a comet and the two remaining bright planets for this week. Comet PanSTARRS is in the northwest, moving away from the sun, and getting a little higher in the sky as it moves northward rather than eastward. The comet will set at 10:26. The comet is now down to near 4th magnitude, as bright as a relatively faint naked eye star. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus and is in the high southwest during the evening. It will set at 1:35 a.m. Jupiter is a wonderful sight in telescopes with its cloud bands and its moons which change positions each night. The other bright planet Saturn will rise at 10:43 p.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. It will pass due south at 3:55 a.m. Saturn is the most beautiful of planets in a telescope.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Comet PanSTARRS at about 9:15 p.m. from March 27 to April 2, 2013. Note that the comet will pass the Great Andromeda Galaxy in early April. Created using Cartes du Ciel.
Jupiter with the stars of winter in a moon brightened sky at 9:30 p.m. March 27, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn near Spica and the moon at 6 a.m. on March 28th. The moon will be passing Saturn on Friday afternoon, below the horizon. Created using Stellarium.
03/20/2013 – Ephemeris – When does spring start, and where is Comet PanSTARRS and the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, March 20th. The sun will rise at 7:45. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 10 minutes, setting at 7:55. The moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 4:17 tomorrow morning.
The sun will cross the earth equator shortly at 7:02 a.m. bringing the season of spring. It’s the vernal equinox. Comet PanSTARRS is in the west northwest low on the horizon. It can best be seen about 9:15 or so. It will set at 9:52 p.m. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus and is in the high southwest during the evening. It will set at 2:00 a.m. Jupiter is a wonderful sight in telescopes with its cloud bands and its moons which change positions each night. The other bright planet Saturn will rise at 11:12 p.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. Saturn will pass due south at 4:24 a.m. Saturn is the most beautiful of planets when seen in telescopes. It will be in the southwest for early risers.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Comet PanSTARRS in the next 5 days at 9:15 p.m. Created using Stellarium and Cartes du Ciel.
Jupiter, the moon and winter stars at 10 p.m. on March 20, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn and the morning stars at 6 a.m. on March 21, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
03/13/2013 – Ephemeris – Comet PanSTARRS and two bright planets
Ephemeris for Wednesday, March 13th. The sun will rise at 7:58. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 48 minutes, setting at 7:46. The moon, 2 days past new, will set at 10:10 this evening.
It’s time to check out a comet and the two remaining bright planets for this week. Comet PanSTARRS is in the west, moving away from the sun, and not getting that much higher in the west as it moves northward rather than eastward. The comet will set at 9:11. The tail may still be visible after the head sets. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus and is in the high southwest during the evening. It will set at 2:19 a.m. Jupiter is a wonderful sight in telescopes with its cloud bands and its moons which change positions each night. The other bright planet Saturn will rise at 11:42 p.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. Saturn will pass due south at 4:52 a.m. Saturn is the most beautiful of planets.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Comet PanSTARRS and the moon at 45 minutes after sunset on March 13, 2013. Created using Stellarium, Cartes du Ciel and my LookingUp program.
See yesterdays post on how the image was created. The moon’s size annd the comet’s brightness are exaggerated a bit.
Jupiter and the winter constellations tip to the southwest at 10 p.m. on March 13, 2013. Created using Stellarium. Click on the image to enlarge.
Saturn with a preview of the summer constellations seen at 6 a.m. on March 14, 2013. Created using Stellarium. Click on the image to enlarge.
03/06/2013 – Ephemeris – Where’s the two bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, March 6th. The sun will rise at 7:10. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 26 minutes, setting at 6:37. The moon, 2 days past last quarter, will rise at 4:17 tomorrow morning.
It’s time to check out the two remaining bright planets for this week. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus and is in the high southwest during the evening. It will set at 1:43 a.m. Jupiter is a wonderful sight in telescopes with its cloud bands and its moons which change positions each night. the other bright planet Saturn will rise at 11:10 p.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. Saturn will pass due south at 4:21 a.m. Saturn is the most beautiful of planets when seen in a telescope with its fabulous rings, now opened wide. One’s first impression is how small it is. It is the second largest planet, but it’s almost 900 million miles away. Saturn’s giant moon Titan can always be seen near Saturn.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter is between the Hyades (Letter V of stars) and the Pleiades on the right at 9 p.m. March 6, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn rising at midnight March 7, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
03/04/2013 – Ephemeris – The Winter Circle
Ephemeris for Monday, March 4th. The sun will rise at 7:14. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 20 minutes, setting at 6:34. The moon, at last quarter today, will rise at 2:34 tomorrow morning.
The winter skies are blessed with more first magnitude stars than any other season. Six of these stars lie in a large circle centered on the seventh. This circle is up all evening now that we are in the heart of winter. Starting high overhead is Capella in Auriga the charioteer. Moving clockwise and downward, we come to Aldebaran in the face of Taurus the Bull and brighter nearby Jupiter. Then down to Orion’s knee we find Rigel. Down and left is the brightest star of all Sirius the Dog Star in Canis Major Orion’s large hunting dog, lowest of these stars in the south. Moving up and left there is Procyon in Canis Minor Orion’s other hunting dog, Then above is Pollux in Gemini the twins. All are centered on Betelgeuse in Orion.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The Winter Circle and Jupiter for March. Created using Stellarium.
02/27/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, February 27th. The sun will rise at 7:22. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 5 minutes, setting at 6:27. The moon, 2 days past full, will rise at 8:56 this evening.
It’s time to check out the planets for this week. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus and moves from the high south to the southwest during the evening. It will transit or pass due south near sunset, and will itself set at 2:07 a.m. Jupiter is a wonderful sight in telescopes with its cloud bands and its moons which change positions each night. Saturn will be the next planet to rise at 11:39 p.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. Saturn will pass due south at 4:49 a.m. Saturn is the most beautiful of planets when seen in a telescope with its fabulous rings, now opened wide.. One’s first impression is how small it is. It is the second largest planet, but it’s almost 900 million miles away.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter and the winter stars in the south southwest at 9 p.m. on February 27, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn rising at midnight (0h) February 28, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
02/20/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, February 20th. The sun will rise at 7:34. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 43 minutes, setting at 6:18. The moon, 3 days past first quarter, will set at 4:43 tomorrow morning.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. Mercury can still be seen low in the west southwest. It will set at 7:50. This is a good apparition of Mercury for us in the northern hemisphere. Binoculars will help you locate it low in the sky. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus and moves from the high south to the southwest during the evening. It will transit or pass due south at 6:59 p.m, and will set at 2:31 a.m. Jupiter is a wonderful sight in telescopes with its cloud bands and its moons which change positions each night. Saturn will be the next planet to rise at 12:07 a.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. Saturn will pass due south at 5:17 a.m. It will rise before midnight in a couple of days.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mercury low on the western horizon at 7:15 p.m. on February 20, 2013. Created using Stellarium 0.12.0.
Jupiter and the stars of winter at 9 p.m. on February 20, 2013. Created using Stellarium 0.12.0
Saturn and the coming stars of late spring and early summer at 6 a.m. on February 21, 2013. Created using Stellarium 0.12.0.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 