Archive
02/18/2013 – Ephemeris – The moon appears near Jupiter tonight
Ephemeris for President’s Day, Monday, February 18th. The sun will rise at 7:37. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 38 minutes, setting at 6:15. The moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 3:15 tomorrow morning.
The moon will point to Jupiter tonight. The planet will be a ways to the west or right of the moon. Actually the moon was closer to Jupiter last night. It’s closest apparent approach is about now this morning. But they’re below the horizon now. My younger granddaughter Bea has made Jupiter her favorite planet because of its red spot. The Great Red Spot on Jupiter has been seen off and on ever its was discovered by a series of astronomers. It would fade for many years only to reappear again. In fact it never went away. Right now this high pressure system is more a light pastel pink. Back in the 1950’s, and 1960’s I found it hard to ignore in the smallest of telescopes. Now it takes bigger telescopes to spot.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter and the moon at 9 p.m. on February 18, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
02/13/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Ash Wednesday, Wednesday, February 13th. The sun will rise at 7:45. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 23 minutes, setting at 6:08. The moon, 3 days past new, will set at 10:23 this evening.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. Mercury can be seen low in the southwest. Mercury will set at 7:41 p.m. 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 southeast to the high southwest during the evening. It will transit or pass due south at 7:25 p.m, and will set at 2:56 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 12:34 a.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. Saturn will pass due south at 5:44 a.m. It will rise before midnight by the end of the month.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mercury and the moon at 7:15 p.m. on February 13, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and the winter constellations at 9 p.m. on February 13, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn and the late spring and early summer constellations, as seen in the evening, but at 6 a.m. February 14, 2013.
02/06/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, February 6th. The sun will rise at 7:54. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 3 minutes, setting at 5:58. The moon, 3 days past last quarter, will rise at 5:36 tomorrow morning.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. Mars and Mercury can be seen low in the southwest. Mercury will set at 7:09, Mars 8 minutes later. Mercury will be the brighter of the two. They will be closest this Friday. I’ll talk more about that then. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus and moves from the high southeast to the high southwest during the evening. It will transit or pass due south at 7:51 p.m, and will set at 3:22 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 1:01 a.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. Saturn will pass due south at 6:11 a.m. It will rise before midnight by the end of the month.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mercury approaches Mars at 6:45 p.m. in the west on February 6, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter with the winter stars at 9 p.m. on February 6, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Previewing the Late spring stars with Saturn at 6 a.m. on February 7, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
01/30/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 30th. The sun will rise at 8:03. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 45 minutes, setting at 5:48. The moon, half way from full to last quarter, will rise at 9:58 this evening.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. Mars can be seen low in the west southwest. It will set at 7:15 p.m, two minutes later than last week because Mars is moving northward. The sun is gaining on it since it sets 10 minutes later each week. Jupiter will be visible in the southeast as it gets dark. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus and moves from the southeast to the high south southwest during the evening. It will transit or pass due south at 8:15 p.m, and will set at 3:45 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 1:24 a.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. Saturn will pass due south at 6:38 a.m.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars low in the west southwest with Mercury just below the horizon at 6:30 p.m. on January 30, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
On February 8th Mercury will appear closest to Mars. Mercury’s greatest elongation from the sun will be on February 16th.
Jupiter and the stars of Taurus and Orion at 9 p.m. on January 30, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Also see the Pleiades right and just above Jupiter.
Saturn and the moon in Virgo at 6 a.m. on January 31, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
The moon will pass Saturn Sunday morning February 3rd.
01/28/2013 – Ephemeris – Jupiter the largest planet
Ephemeris for Monday, January 28th. The sun will rise at 8:05. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 40 minutes, setting at 5:46. The moon, 2 days past full, will rise at 7:47 this evening.
The planet Jupiter is the largest, most massive planet in the solar system. It contains more mass that all the other planets, asteroids, and moons twice over. As Isaac Asimov once said: “The solar system contains the sun, Jupiter and debris.” Jupiter, named after the king of the Roman gods, processes majestically through the Zodiac, spending about one year in each of the constellations. This year it’s Taurus, next year it will be Gemini. Saturn, on the other hand limps along, taking nearly 30 years to make the same circuit. It’s the god of old age. Jupiter throws its weight around. It’s responsible for the asteroid belt, keeping a planet from forming there. It deflects some comets from the inner solar system, but also sends others on in.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter with its Great Red Spot November 18, 2012 by Scott Anttila.
01/23/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 23rd. The sun will rise at 8:10. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 29 minutes, setting at 5:39. The moon, 3 days before full, will set at 6:08 tomorrow morning.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. Mars can be seen low in the southwest. It will set at 7:13 p.m, two minutes later than last week because Mars is moving northward. The sun will eventually catch up with it in mid April. Even before you can spot Mars, bright Jupiter will be visible in the southeast. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus and moves from the southeast to the high south southwest during the evening. It will transit or pass due south at 8:46 p.m, and will set at 4:17 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 1:54 a.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. Venus is now too close to the sun to be seen.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars at 6:30 p.m. on January 23, 2013. Note the steep angle of the ecliptic (in red) the line near which the planets are found. It’s heading northward as Mars moves to the upper left against the stars. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter, the moon and the winter stars at 9 p.m. on January 23, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn at 7 a.m. on January 24, 2013. Note the shallowness of the ecliptic compared to the evening sky in the first image. Created using Stellarium.
01/18/2013 – Ephemeris – Aldebaran, Taurus’ angry read eye
Ephemeris for Friday, January 18th. The sun will rise at 8:13. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 18 minutes, setting at 5:32. The moon, at first quarter today, will set at 1:42 tomorrow morning.
The bright orange star Aldebaran is the most westerly bright star of winter Aldebaran appears at the upper left tip of a letter V group of stars that is the face of the bull, his angry red eye. Aldebaran isn’t actually part of the group, called the Hyades star cluster. Aldebaran is 65 light years away, less than half the distance of the Hyades. The name Aldebaran means “The Follower” because it follows the Pleiades across the skies. The Pleiades is the brightest star cluster in Taurus, also known as the Seven Sisters. Aldebaran has an orange hue because its surface is cooler than the sun’s. However Aldebaran is 44 times larger in diameter, and shines 500 times brighter than the sun. It’s the type of star that’s in the red giant phase of life.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Aldebaran,Jupiter, the Hyades, and the Pleiades on January 18 2913. Created using Stellarium.
01/16/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 16th. The sun will rise at 8:15. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 14 minutes, setting at 5:30. The moon, 2 days before first quarter, will set at 11:37 this evening.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. Mars can be seen low in the southwest. It will set at 7:11 p.m, two minutes later than last week because Mars is moving northward. The sun will eventually catch up with it in mid April. Even before you can spot Mars, bright Jupiter will be visible in the southeast. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus and moves from the southeast to the high south southwest during the evening. It will transit or pass due south at 9:15 p.m, and will set at 4:46 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 2:20 a.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. Venus will rise at 7:15.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars, now becoming more visible as it moves northward is shown at 6:30 p.m. on January 16, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and the winter circle of bright winter stars at 9 p.m. January 16, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn with the late spring and early summer stars at 6 a.m January 17, 2013.
01/09/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 9th. The sun will rise at 8:18. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 3 minutes, setting at 5:21. The moon, 2 days before new, will rise at 6:56 tomorrow morning.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. Mars can be seen low in the southwest. It will set at 7:09 p.m, two minutes later than last week because sunset times are increasing and Mars is moving northward. The sun will eventually catch up with it. Even before you can spot Mars, bright Jupiter will be visible in the east. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus and moves from the east to the high south during the evening. It will transit or pass due south at 9:44 p.m, and will set at 5:15 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 2:45 a.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. Venus will rise at 7:03.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter and the winter stars and constellations at 9 p.m. on January 9, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn and Venus in morning twilight at 7:30 a.m. on January 10, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
A closeup of Venus and the moon at 7:30 a.m. January 10, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
In actuality the cusps of the crescent will extend to the moon’s poles. Planetarium programs generally have a problem with this on extremely thin crescents.
01/02/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 2nd. The sun will rise at 8:19. It’ll be up for 8 hours and 54 minutes, setting at 5:14. The moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 11:00 this evening.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. Mars can be seen low in the southwest. It will set at 7:07 p.m, two minutes later than last week because sunset times are increasing and Mars is starting to move northward. The sun will eventually catch up with it. Even before you can spot Mars, bright Jupiter will be visible in the east. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus in the southeast in the evening. It will transit or pass due south at 10:14 p.m, and will set at 5:45 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 3:10 a.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. Venus will rise at 6:52.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Note: The Quadrantid meteor shower will reach peak tomorrow morning. I will release tomorrow’s program about the meteor shower at noon today.
Addendum
Jupiter and the winter stars and constellations as seen at 9 p.m. on January 2, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and the winter stars and constellations at 7 a.m. on January 3, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 