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10/21/2015 – Ephemeris – The bright planets and an anniversary star party
Update 5:05 p.m.:
The star party at the Sleeping Bear Dunes has been canceled due to clouds.
Ephemeris for Wednesday, October 21st. The Sun will rise at 8:05. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 42 minutes, setting at 6:48. The Moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 2:00 tomorrow morning.
We’ve got a busy day. The planet Saturn will be low in the west-southwest after sunset and will set at 8:31 p.m. In the morning sky the brilliant planet Venus will rise at 4:05 and be quite high at this program’s air time. Jupiter will be just below and left of it. Mars will be below and left of Jupiter by a similar amount. Both rise within 20 minutes of Venus. Far below and left will be Mercury which will rise at 6:38. Tonight is the last star party of the year at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This is the lakeshore’s 45th anniversary. It will held starting at 8 p.m. at Pierce Stocking Drive Stop #3 the Dunes Overlook if it’s clear, Park at Picnic Mountain. The Moon will be the big attraction tonight. The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society has been holding star parties at the Sleeping Bear Dunes since the park’s 40th anniversary in 2010.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Saturn and the Moon (at twice normal size) at 7:30 p.m. October 21, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
The telescopic Moon tonight, October 21, 2015, for the star party at Sleeping Bear Dunes. Created using Virtual Moon Atlas.
The morning planets at 7 a.m., October 22, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
This is a chart showing the sunrise and sunset skies for October 21, 2015 showing the location of the planets and the Moon at that time. The charts are rotated 90 degrees to more clearly show the traffic jam of the morning planets. Created using my LookingUp program. Click on the image to enlarge.
10/14/2015 – Ephemeris – The planet get together in the morning
Ephemeris for Wednesday, October 14th. The Sun will rise at 7:56. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 3 minutes, setting at 7:00. The Moon, 2 days past new, will set at 8:06 this evening.
Lets see what’s happening with the bright planets. Saturn is alone in the evening sky spotted by 8 p.m. low in the west-southwestern sky near the bright star Antares to its left. Antares has a reddish hue, while Saturn is brighter and yellowish. Both these colors are enhanced by being low to the horizon. Saturn will set at 8:56 p.m. The rest of the planets are in the morning sky and seeing more action. Brilliant Venus, the morning star, will rise at 4 a.m. a bit north of east. Below and left of Venus is bright Jupiter, though not as bright as Venus. Above it tomorrow is dim Mars. They will pass each other on Saturday. Jupiter will rise at 4:37 preceded by 7 minutes by Mars. Mercury is way below these, but brightening. It will rise at 6:20.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Saturn and Antares appear in west-southwestern twilight with the thin crescent Moon, shown twice its actual size to show up at all, at 7:45 p.m., October 14, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
The morning planets getting together at 7 a.m. Mercury will be falling back toward the Sun after tomorrow. Created using Stellarium.
Apparent sizes of the morning planets Venus, Mars and Jupiter as seen through a telescope. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
This is a chart showing the sunrise and sunset skies for October 14, 2015 showing the location of the planets and the Moon at that time. Created using my LookingUp program. Click on the image to enlarge.
10/09/2015 – Ephemeris – The Moon is seen with the morning planets this weekend
Ephemeris for Friday, October 9th. The Sun will rise at 7:50. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 18 minutes, setting at 7:09. The Moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 5:31 tomorrow morning.
This morning up to about 7:15 look to the east at the crescent Moon and the planets. The Moon is between Venus above and Jupiter just below and to the left. Mars will be a bit above and just left of the Moon. Mercury will be farther below the moon to the left and about 22 degrees below the Moon (that’s about twice the width of a fist held at arm’s length.) By Sunday morning the thin sliver of the Moor will be near Mercury with the tiny planet just above left of the Moon. Next Thursday the 15th, Mercury will climb to its greatest angular distance or elongation west of the Sun. It will be getting a bit brighter for a while because even though it’s moving away from us, its phase will be getting fuller. Remember it’s illuminated by the sun.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Morning planet animation for 7 a.m. October 8 to 11, 2015. Created using Stellarium and GIMP.
10/08/2015 – Ephemeris – The Draconid meteors will reach peak overnight tonight
Ephemeris for Thursday, October 8th. The Sun will rise at 7:49. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 21 minutes, setting at 7:10. The Moon, half way from last quarter to new, will rise at 4:33 tomorrow morning.
For this and the next few morning the Moon will pass the morning planets. This morning it’s Venus, tomorrow it will be near Mars and Jupiter, and Sunday morning it will be near Mercury.
This evening is the expected peak of the Draconid meteor shower. We can expect anything between zero and hundreds of meteors an hour. The calculated time of the peak number will be around 1:40 a.m. (5:40 UT, October 9). The point in space they will appear to come from is the head of the constellation Draco the dragon, a bit north of the bright star Vega, high in the west in the evening. Meteor experts don’t expect much from the shower this year, but the Draconids are capricious, you never know what to expect. However we do expect them to be slow-moving.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The entire sky dome including the Draconid Radiant (DraR) for 9 p.m. October 8, 2015 (1:00 UT 10/9). Created with my LookingUp program.
The entire sky dome including the Draconid Radiant (DraR) for 1:40 a.m. October 9, 2015 (05:40 UT). Created with my LookingUp program.
Morning planet animation for 7 a.m. October 8 to 11, 2015. Click on image to enlarge. Note the Moon’s size is tripled for visibility. Created using Stellarium 0.13 and GIMP.
10/07/2015 – Ephemeris – Saturn lingers in the evening, but the planet action is in the morning
Ephemeris for Wednesday, October 7th. The Sun will rise at 7:47. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 24 minutes, setting at 7:12. The Moon, 3 days past last quarter, will rise at 3:34 tomorrow morning.
Lets see what’s happening with the bright planets. Saturn is alone in the evening sky spotted by 8:30 p.m. low in the southwestern sky near the bright star Antares to its left. Antares has a reddish hue, while Saturn is brighter and yellowish. Both these colors are enhanced by being low to the horizon. Saturn will set at 9:22 p.m. The rest of the planet action in the morning sky is getting interesting. Brilliant Venus, the morning star, will rise at 3:58 a.m. a bit north of east. Tomorrow it will be at its greatest separation from the sun and start to fall back. The Moon will be near Venus tomorrow morning. The star Regulus is near Venus. Much dimmer Mars, brighter Jupiter and finally Mercury will rise at 4:35, 4:57 and 6:37 respectively.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Saturn and setting zodiacal constellations at 8:30 .m. on October 7, 2015. Create using Stellarium.
Morning Planets and the Moon at 6:30 a.m. on October 8, 2015. The Moon is shown twice actual size. Created using Stellarium.
This is a chart showing the sunrise and sunset skies for October 7, 2015 showing the location of the planets and the Moon at that time. Created using my LookingUp program. Click on the image to enlarge.
09/23/2015 – Ephemeris – One planet visible in the evening and three in the morning
Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 23rd. The Sun will rise at 7:30. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 7 minutes, setting at 7:38. The Moon, 2 days past first quarter, will set at 3:09 tomorrow morning.
Lets look at the planets for this first day of autumn. Saturn is alone in the evening sky spotted by 9 p.m. low in the southwestern sky near the bright star Antares to its left. Antares has a reddish hue, while Saturn is brighter and yellowish. Both these colors are enhanced by being low to the horizon. Saturn will set at 10:13 p.m. The rest of the planet action has moved to the morning sky. Venus, the morning star, will rise at 4:09 a.m. a bit north of east. Much dimmer Mars will rise at 4:44 a.m. in the east-northeast. Jupiter is beginning to be visible in the morning sky and will rise at 5:37 in the east-northeast. Mercury, though in the evening sky, sets too soon after the Sun to be visible.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Saturn and the Moon with setting southern summer stars at 8:30 p.m. on September 23, 2015. The Moon is shown twice actual size. Created using Stellarium.
What Saturn and its moons might appear like in a telescope at 8:30 p.m., September 23, 2015. Small telescopes will show only the moon Titan. Created using Stellarium. The telescopic planet charts are all displayed at the same scale.
The Moon as it might be seen in binoculars at 8:30 p.m. September 23, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Venus, Mars and Jupiter with the constellation Leo at 6:30 a.m. September 24, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Venus in a telescope at 6:30 a.m. September 24, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and moons in a telescope at 6:30 a.m. September 24, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
This is a chart showing the sunrise and sunset skies for September 23, 2015 showing the location of the planets and the Moon at that time. Created using my LookingUp program. Click on the image to enlarge.
09/16/2015 – Ephemeris – Looking for Saturn in the evening and Venus, Mars and Jupiter in the morning
Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 16th. The Sun will rise at 7:22. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 29 minutes, setting at 7:52. The Moon, 3 days past new, will set at 9:32 this evening.
Lets look for the bright planets for this week. Saturn is alone in the evening sky spotted by 9 p.m. low in the southwestern sky near the bright star Antares to its left. Antares has a reddish hue, while Saturn is brighter and yellowish. Both these colors are enhanced by being low to the horizon. Saturn will set at 10:39 p.m. The rest of the planet action has moved to the morning sky. Venus, the morning star, will rise at 4:42 a.m. a bit north of east. Much dimmer Mars will rise at 4:48 a.m. in the east-northeast. Jupiter is beginning to be visible in the morning sky and will rise at 5:57, almost an hour before the Sun. Mercury, though in the evening sky, sets too soon after the Sun to be visible.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Saturn and the Moon with the Sagittarius teapot pouring its tea on the tail of Scorpius at 9 p.m. September 16, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
The moon as it might be seen in binoculars at 9 p.m. September 16, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
What Saturn and its moons might appear like in a telescope at 9 p.m., September 16, 2015. Small telescopes will show only the moon Titan. Created using Stellarium.
Venus, Mars and Jupiter with the star Regulus in morning twilight at 6:30 a.m. September 17, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Venus through a telescope – September 17, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
This is a chart showing the sunrise and sunset skies for September 16, 2015 showing the location of the planets and the Moon at that time. Created using my LookingUp program. Click on the image to enlarge.
09/09/2015 – Ephemeris – Saturn is in the evening sky but the planet action is moving to the morning
Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 9th. The Sun will rise at 7:14. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 50 minutes, setting at 8:05. The Moon, half way from last quarter to new, will rise at 4:42 tomorrow morning.
Lets look for the bright planets for this week. Saturn is alone in the evening sky spotted low in the southwestern sky near the bright star Antares to its left. It will set at 11:06 p.m. The rest of the planet action has moved to the morning sky. Venus, the morning star, will rise at 4:42 a.m. a bit north of east. Tomorrow morning the thin crescent Moon will appear just to the left of it. Much dimmer Mars will be to the left of the Moon, and will rise at 4:52 a.m. in the east-northeast. Mars will rapidly fall behind Venus. Jupiter is beginning to be visible in the morning sky and will rise at 6:16, almost an hour before the Sun. Mercury, though in the evening sky sets too soon after the Sun to be visible. Jupiter is too close to the Sun on thee morning side to be seen.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Saturn with the Zodiacal constellations of Libra, Scorpius and Sagittarius as the Teapot at 9:30 p.m. September 9, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
What Saturn and its moons might appear like in a telescope at 9:30 p.m., September 9, 2015. Small telescopes will show only the moon Titan. Created using Stellarium.
Looking east at Venus, the Moon and Mars at 6 a.m. September 10, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
This is a chart showing the sunrise and sunset skies for September 9, 2015 showing the location of the planets and the Moon at that time. Created using my LookingUp program. Click on the image to enlarge.
09/02/2015 – Ephemeris – Planets at either end of the night
Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 2nd. The Sun will rise at 7:06. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 12 minutes, setting at 8:18. The Moon, 3 days before last quarter, will rise at 10:45 this evening.
Lets look for the bright planets for this week. Saturn is alone in the evening sky spotted low in the southwestern sky near the bright star Antares to its lower left. It will set at 11:32 p.m. The rest of the planet action has moved to the morning sky. Mars is now climbing away from the Sun. It’s pretty dim, rising before the start of morning twilight at 4:56 a.m. in the east-northeast. Venus is making a grand appearance, rising at 5:12 a.m. a bit north of east. Much dimmer Mars is to the left and a bit above Venus. Mercury, though in the evening sky is poorly placed for viewing. That won’t be true next month when it enters the morning sky. Jupiter now is too close to the direction of the Sun to be seen.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Saturn with the Zodiacal constellations of Libra, Scorpius and Sagittarius as the Teapot. Created using Stellarium.
What Saturn and its moons might appear like in a telescope at 10 p.m., September 2, 2015. Small telescopes will show only the moon Titan. Created using Stellarium.
Is it a UFO? Is it an airplane’s landing lights? Nope, it’s Venus. Also visible is Mars nearby with the stars and constellations of Winter at 6 a.m. September 3, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Venus through a telescope – September 3, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
This is a chart showing the sunrise and sunset skies for September 2, 2015 showing the location of the planets and the Moon at that time. Created using my LookingUp program. Click on the image to enlarge.
Note the angle of the ecliptic to the Sun at the morning and evening horizon. It is at a very low angle in the evening. That’s why Mercury, though at a fairly large distance from the Sun (27º) is not really visible in the evening. In the morning the ecliptic rises at a much steeper angle so Venus at 25.5º separation from the Sun is easily visible. The situation will be reversed in 6 months, or right now if you travel south of the equator.
08/26/2015 – Ephemeris – Saturn in the evening and an event at the Traverse Area District Library tonight
Wednesday, August 26th. The Sun rises at 6:57. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 32 minutes, setting at 8:30. The Moon, 3 days before full, will set at 4:21 tomorrow morning.
Lets take a look for the bright planets for this week. Saturn is alone in the evening sky spotted low in the southwestern sky near the bright star Antares to its lower left. It will set at 11:59 p.m. Venus crossed over to the morning sky 10 days ago, and Jupiter is passing conjunction with the Sun today. Mars is now in the morning sky climbing away from the Sun. It’s probably too far away from the Earth and faint to spot in the morning twilight. It will rise at 5 a.m. tomorrow. Venus will rise at 5:50 a.m. Tonight the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will have a summer star party at the Woodmere branch of the Traverse Area District Library starting at 8 p.m. It starts with exploring the summer night skies with a digital sky, before viewing the real one.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Saturn and the Moon at 10 p.m. August 26, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn as seen in a telescope on August 26, 2015. In small telescopes only Titan of all the moons will be visible. Created using Stellarium.
The moon as it would be seen in binoculars at 10 p.m. on August 26, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Good morning Venus, with Mars nearby. Venus is very low in the twilight with the stars and constellations of Winter at 6 a.m. August 27, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Venus through a telescope – August 27, 2015. Created using Stellarium.
This is a chart showing the sunrise and sunset skies for August 26, 2015 showing the location of the planets and the Moon at that time. Created using my LookingUp program. Click on the image to enlarge.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 