Archive
12/26/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, December 26th. The sun will rise at 8:18. It’ll be up for 8 hours and 50 minutes, setting at 5:08. The moon, 2 days before full, will set at 7:27 tomorrow morning.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. Mars can be seen low in the southwest. It will set at 7:05 p.m, one minute 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 10:44 p.m, and will set at 6:16 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 3:35 a.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. Venus will rise at 6:37 and is below and left of Saturn.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter, the bright moon and the winter stars and constellations at 9 p.m. on December 26, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn, Venus and the constellations of morning at 7 a.m. on December 27, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
12/19/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, December 19th. The sun will rise at 8:15. It’ll be up for 8 hours and 49 minutes, setting at 5:04. The moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 12:48 tomorrow morning.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. Mars can be seen low in the southwest. It will set at 7:04 p.m. The same as last week because sunrise 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 11:15 p.m, and will set at 6:47 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 4 a.m. in the east southeast. It’s located in eastern Virgo. Venus will rise at 6:20 and is below and left of Saturn.
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 east southeast at 9 p.m. December 19, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn, Venus and the star Spica low in the east southeast at 6:45 a.m., December 20, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
12/17/2012 – Ephemeris – Were the planetary conjunctions of 3 and 2 BC the Star of Bethlehem?
Ephemeris for Tuesday, December 18th. The sun will rise at 8:14. It’ll be up for 8 hours and 49 minutes, setting at 5:03. The moon, 2 days before first quarter, will set at 11:43 this evening. | For over 400 years astronomers have wondered and looked through ancient Chinese records, ran the positions of planets back 2000 years, and still no one knows for sure what the Star of Bethlehem really was, but here’s my favorite scenario. On August 13th of 3 BC Jupiter and Venus briefly merged in the pre-dawn skies against the constellation of Leo the lion. A month later Jupiter was in conjunction with Regulus the bright star in Leo, the little king star. Then 9 months later, after sunset on June 16th of 2 BC the two planets again joined as one in Leo. The king of the planets twice mating with Venus as Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of fertility, against the constellation of the lion signifying Judah from Genesis? The Magi not being Jewish might have found meaning in all that.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Animation of the Jupiter-Venus conjunction of August 3, 3 BC. in the morning twilight. Created using Stellarium.
Click on the image to enlarge and show the animation. Jupiter is rising while Venus, the brighter one, is heading back to the sun. Jupiter will seem to mate with Venus. 9 months later, the human gestation period their paths seem to cross again.
June of 2 BC just after sunset Jupiter and Venus again cross paths. Created using Stellarium.
Click on the image to enlarge and show the animation.
12/12/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, December 12th. The sun will rise at 8:10. It’ll be up for 8 hours and 51 minutes, setting at 5:02. The moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 8:18 tomorrow morning.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. Mars can be seen low in the southwest. It will set at 7:04 p.m. The planetary action will have already picked up on the other side of the sky. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus on the southeast in the evening. It will transit or pass due south at 11:47 p.m, and will set at 7:19 a.m. Saturn will be the next planet to rise at 4:24 a.m. in the east southeast. Venus will rise at 6:02 and is below and left of Saturn. Mercury will rise at 6:36 a.m. Below and left of Venus. A half an hour later it should be high enough to spot. The three planets will appear in a straight line and nearly equally spaced. After a few days Mercury will not be visible again until next February.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars low in the southwest at 6:15 p.m. on December 12, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and the winter stars at 9 p.m. December 12, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter with its Great Red Spot November 18, 2012 by Scott Anttila.
Jupiter with Callisto above, Ganymede and its shadow below on December 6, 2012 by Scott Anttila, Click to enlarge.
Saturn, Venus and Mercury at 6:45 a.m. ay December 13, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
12/06/2012 – Ephemeris – The constellation Taurus the bull
Ephemeris for Thursday, December 6th. The sun will rise at 8:05. It’ll be up for 8 hours and 57 minutes, setting at 5:02. The moon, at last quarter today, will rise at 1:10 tomorrow morning.
Low in the east southeast at 9 p.m. is the constellation of the giant hunter Orion. Above him is Taurus the bull. His face is a letter V shape of stars lying on its side, the star cluster Hyades, with the bright orange-red star Aldebaran at one tip of the V as its angry blood-shot eye, but actually about half way between us and the cluster. Jupiter is complicating this this year, appearing in Taurus. Orion is depicted in the sky facing, with club in one hand and a shield in the other, the approaching and in some depictions charging Taurus. The Pleiades star cluster is in his shoulder. Taurus in Greek mythology was the guise the god Zeus when he carried off the maiden Europa. Europa’s still with him as the intriguing satellite orbiting Zeus’ Roman equivalent the planet Jupiter.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Taurus and Orion in the east at 9 p.m. December 6, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
12/05/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are all the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, December 5th. The sun will rise at 8:04. It’ll be up for 8 hours and 58 minutes, setting at 5:02. The moon, 1 day before last quarter, will rise at 12:03 tomorrow morning.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. All 5 classical planets are visible now. Mars can be seen low in the southwest. Mars will set at 7:05. The planetary action will have already picked up on the other side of the sky. Jupiter is located in the constellation of Taurus on the southeast in the evening. It will transit or pass due south at 12:18 a.m, and will set at 7:51. Saturn will be the next planet to rise at 4:48 a.m. in the east southeast. Venus will rise at 5:44 and is below and left of Saturn. Mercury will rise at 6:16 a.m. Below and left of Venus. A half an hour later it should be high enough to spot . The three planets will appear in a straight line and nearly equally spaced. After about a week, Mercury will not be visible again until next spring.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars low in the southwest at 6:15 p.m. on December 5, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and the winter stars at 9 p.m. on December 5, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Mercury animation from December 4 to thru 12, 2012. Created using Stellarium
11/28/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, November 28th. The sun will rise at 7:56. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 8 minutes, setting at 5:04. The moon, at full today, will rise at 5:18 this evening.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. First there will be a penumbral eclipse of the moon this morning which we will not be able see. Penumbral eclipses are not very noticeable. At 6:15 p.m. Mars can be seen low in the southwest. Mars will set at 7:07. The planetary action will have already picked up on the other side of the sky. Jupiter, will rise at 5:16 p.m. in the east northeast. It is located in the constellation of Taurus. Tonight it will appear right above the moon. It will transit or pass due south at 12:49 a.m. Jupiter will reach opposition from the sun this Saturday December 1st, and will officially be part of the evening sky. Saturn will be the next planet to rise at 5:15 a.m. in the east southeast. Venus will rise at 5:23 and is almost directly below Saturn. Mercury will rise at 6:13 and will be seen below and left of Venus.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars low in the southwest at 6:15 p.m. on November 28, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and the Moon at 6:15 p.m. low in the east northeast on November 28, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn, Venus and Mercury low in the east southeast at 6:30 a.m. November 29, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
11/21/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, November 21st. The sun will rise at 7:47. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 21 minutes, setting at 5:09. The moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 1:55 tomorrow morning.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. At 6:15 p.m. Mars can be seen low in the southwest. Mars, being the nearest planet outside the earth’s orbit takes its own sweet time leaving the evening sky. Mars will set at 7:10. The planetary action will have already picked up on the other side of the sky. Jupiter, will rise at 5:47 p.m. in the east northeast. It is located in the constellation of Taurus. It will transit or pass due south at 1:25 a.m. The morning planet Venus is the next planet to rise at 5:08 a.m. also in the east. Venus is now near the bright star Spica in the constellation of Virgo. Saturn can now be seen after it rises in the east southeast at 5:35 a.m. as twilight brightens. It’s approaching Venus from the lower left.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars low in the southwest at 6:15 p.m. November 21, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter with the rising winter constellation is the east at 9 p.m. November 21, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Venus and Saturn low in the east southeast at 6:30 a.m. November 22, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
11/14/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are he bright planets this week.
Ephemeris for Wednesday, November 14th. The sun will rise at 7:38. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 36 minutes, setting at 5:15. The moon, 1 day past new, will set at 6:01 this evening.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. At 6:15 p.m. Mars can be seen low in the southwest. Mars, being the nearest planet outside the earth’s orbit takes its own sweet time leaving the evening sky. Mars will set at 7:14. The planetary action will have already picked up on the other side of the sky. Jupiter, will rise at 6:18 p.m. in the east northeast. It is located in the constellation of Taurus. It will transit or pass due south at 1:52 a.m. The morning planet Venus is the next planet to rise at 4:50 a.m. also in the east. Venus is now near the bright star Spica in the constellation of Virgo. Saturn can now be seen after it rises in the east south east at 5:58 a.m. as twilight brightens. It will be easier to spot next week.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars low in the southwest at 6:15 p.m. on November 14, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter low in the east at 8 p.m. on November 14, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Venus and Saturn at 6:30 a.m. on November 15, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
11/07/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, November 7th. The sun will rise at 7:28. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 53 minutes, setting at 5:22. The moon, 1 day past last quarter, will rise at 1:11 tomorrow morning.
Let’s check out the planets for this week. At 6:15 p.m. Mars can be seen low in the southwest. Mars, being the nearest planet outside the earth’s orbit takes its own sweet time leaving the evening sky. Mars will set at 7:19. The planetary action will have already picked up on the other side of the sky. Jupiter, will rise at 6:48 p.m. in the east northeast. It is located in the constellation of Taurus. It will transit or pass due south at 2:23 a.m. The last bright planet of the night is the morning star Venus which will rise at 4:33 a.m. also in the east. Venus is now below the hind end of Leo, and actually in the constellation of Virgo. The planets Venus and Jupiter and the winter constellations are a great sight for early risers.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars low in the southwest at 6:15 p.m. on November 7, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter rising at 9 p.m. on November 7, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
In the morning.
Jupiter and Venus with the winter stars at 5 a.m. November 8, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
The waning crescent moon on November 8, 2012 at 5 a.m. Created using Stellarium.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 