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03/28/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, March 28th. The sun will rise at 7:29. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 35 minutes, setting at 8:05. The moon, 2 days before first quarter, will set at 2:10 tomorrow morning.
Let’s see what’s happening with the bright planets for this week. Venus and Jupiter are separating in the western sky after sunset. Jupiter is below Venus, the brighter planet. Jupiter will set at 11:01 p.m. followed by Venus at 12:20 a.m. Mars is up in the southeast in the evening with its unmistakable bright reddish color. It’s in the constellation Leo the lion now. It is 68.3 million miles and moving away. Mars will pass due south at 11:43 p.m. and will be setting in the west at 6:37 a.m. Saturn will rise at 9:31 p.m. just to the left of the bright star Spica in the east southeast. It will pass due south at 3:01 We have 4 bright planets visible in the evening.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The stars and planets at 10:30 p.m. on 3/28/2012. Created using Stellarium,
03/22/2012 – Ephemeris – Leo the lion and Mars
Ephemeris for Thursday, March 22nd. The sun will rise at 7:41. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 17 minutes, setting at 7:58. The moon is new today, and won’t be visible.
One of the great constellations of spring is up in the southeastern sky. This month Leo can be found by the bright planet Mars which adds a bright red star to the constellation. The head and mane of this beast is a backward question mark. It’s also known as the sickle. The bright star Regulus is at the bottom of this figure. It is now dimmer than Mars. To the east or left of Regulus and Mars is the triangle of stars that is his rump. The lion is special for several ancient cultures. Another way to find him when Mars isn’t around is to use the Bug Dipper, now soaring high in the northeast. Drill a hole in the bottom of the bowl of the dipper and imagine the water flowing out to the south and it will fall on the back of Leo the lion.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars and the constellation of Leo the lion March 22, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
03/21/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, March 21st. The sun will rise at 7:42. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 13 minutes, setting at 7:56. The moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 7:18 tomorrow morning.
Let’s see what’s happening with the bright planets for this week. Mercury will pass between the earth and the sun, and will enter the morning sky this afternoon, so is invisible. Venus and Jupiter are separating in the western sky after sunset. Jupiter is below of Venus, the brighter planet. Jupiter will set at 11:20 p.m. followed by Venus at 12:05 a.m. Mars is up in the southeast in the evening with its unmistakable bright reddish color. It’s in the constellation Leo the lion now. It is 65.2 million miles and moving away. Mars will pass due south at 12:23 a.m. and will be setting in the west at 7:15 a.m. Saturn will rise at 10:01 p.m. just to the left of the bright star Spica in the east southeast. We have 4 bright planets visible in the evening.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The planets visible at 10:30 p.m. March 21, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
Scott Anttila was photographing the red planet instead of drinking green beer on Srt. Patrick’s day night. Here is the result.
Mars on March 17, 2012 at 10:15 p.m. edt. Photo by Scott Anttila.
This I generally consider the bland side of Mars. However the white blotch near the center appears to be clouds over the largest mountain in the solar system Olympus Mons. I’m willing to bet the three white blotches to the right of it are clouds over the three Tharsis volcanoes, from top to bottom: Ascraeus Mons, Pavonis Mons and Arsia Mons.
03/14/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Wednesday, March 14th. The sun will rise at 7:55. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 52 minutes, setting at 7:47. The moon, at last quarter today, will rise at 3:35 tomorrow morning.
Let’s see what’s happening with the bright planets for this week. Mercury will make a brief appearance in the west after sunset. It will set at 8:54. Venus and Jupiter are brilliant in the western sky after sunset. Jupiter will be just below left of Venus, the brighter planet. Jupiter will set first at 11:40 p.m. followed by Venus at 11:53. Mars is up in the east in the evening with its unmistakable bright reddish color. It’s in the constellation Leo the lion now. It is 63.5 million miles and moving away. Mars will pass due south at 1:04 a.m. and will be setting in the west near sunrise. Saturn will rise at 10:31 p.m. just to the left of the bright star Spica in the east southeast.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The planets at 11 p.m. March 14, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
03/07/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, March 7th. The sun will rise at 7:08. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 30 minutes, setting at 6:38. The moon, 1 day before full, will set at 6:47 tomorrow morning.
Let’s see what’s happening with the bright planets for this week. Mercury will make a brief appearance in the west after sunset. It will set at 8:15. Venus is brilliant in the western sky after sunset and will set at 10:39 in the west. Jupiter the second brightest planet after Venus is located just above it. They are approaching each other. Jupiter will set at 10:57 p.m.. Mars is up by sunset in the east and is in the constellation Leo the lion. It is 62.6 million miles away . It’s now as bright as most first magnitude stars. Mars will pass due south at 12:37 a.m. and will be setting in the west at sunrise. Saturn will rise at 10:00 p.m. just to the left of the bright star Spica in the east southeast. The moon will appear near it on Saturday evening.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Below is Mars a photo by Scott Anttila.
Mars on the morning of March 5, 2012 by Scott Anttila
Scott’s description: “Near 100% illumination, Syrtis Major, the Horse Tail, small polar cap, clouds all around the equatorial area. It is a quick and dirty processing of the Image. There might be more detail that can be teased out when I have more time.”
Syrtis Major is the large dark area. The name means Great Swamp. i am unfamiliar with the Horse Tail. I’m guessing that it’s the linear dark feature on the lower left of the image. If so the proper name is Sinus Sabaeus. Sinus is “Bay”. Ther are no bays or swamps on bone dry Mars or for that matter seas on the moon. The names were established before the nature of these features were known.
The sky after sunset showing all the evening planets. Created using Stellarium.
This is from Monday, but still pretty close to tonight’s view.
03/05/2012 – Ephemeris – Mars closest and Mercury at greatest elongation from the sun
Ephemeris for Monday, March 5th. The sun will rise at 7:12. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 24 minutes, setting at 6:36. The moon, 3 days before full, will set at 5:48 tomorrow morning.
The planet Mars is at its closest to the earth of this time around today. The distance is 62.6 million miles. All planets have elliptical orbits. The Earth varies its distance from the sun by 3 million miles. Mars has a remarkably elliptical orbit which varies its distance from the sun by nearly 30 million miles. It is now at its farthest from the sun. Another small planet is making its appearance in the evening sky now. That’s Mercury seen low in the west after sunset, much closer to the horizon than bright Venus and Jupiter. Mercury is at its greatest apparent distance or elongation from the sun. Mercury will set at 8:14 p.m. It is hard to spot in twilight, so binoculars will help. Like Mars Mercury’s orbit is also very elliptical.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The southern sky with the planets at 7:15 p.m. Created using Stellarium.
The sky after sunset showing all the evening planets. Created using Stellarium.
Click on the image to enlarge.
02/29/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, February 29th, the leap day or intercalary day. The sun will rise at 7:20. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 8 minutes, setting at 6:29. The moon, at first quarter today, will set at 2:28 tomorrow morning.
Let’s see what’s happening with the bright planets for this week. Venus is brilliant in the western sky after sunset and will set at 10:23 in the west. Jupiter the second brightest planet after Venus is located high in the west as it gets dark and is seen against the stars of the constellation Aries. Venus is now approaching it. Jupiter will set at 11:21 p.m.. Mars is the up and coming planet. It will rise near sunset in the east and is in the constellation Leo the lion. It is 62.8 million miles away . It’s now as bright as most first magnitude stars. Mars will pass due south at 1:14 a.m. Saturn will rise at 10:29 p.m. just to the left of the bright star Spica in the east southeast.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars in approach. These photos of Mars from earlier posts by Scott Anttila shows Mars approaching, or rather being approached by the earth over the last two months.
Mars 9 days ago. Photograph by Scott Anttila
Besides getting larger in approach, Mars is becoming more full. Also notice that the north polar cap is shrinking as northern summer proceeds.
Mars on February 6, 2012. Photograph by Scott Anttila
Mars on February 20, 2012 at 5:57 UT (12:57 a.m.). Photograph by Scott Anttila.
Mars will reach opposition from the sun on March 3rd, and will be closest to the earth on the 5th, at just a teensy bit closer than today at 62.6 million miles.
For more on the martian seasons check out this blog post with video by the Planetary Society’s Emily Lakdawalla.
02/22/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Ash Wednesday, Wednesday, February 22nd. The sun will rise at 7:32. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 47 minutes, setting at 6:20. The moon, 1 day past new, will set at 7:31 this evening.
Let’s see what’s happening with the bright planets for this week. Venus is brilliant in the western sky after sunset and will set at 10:08 in the west. Jupiter the second brightest planet after Venus is located high in the west as it gets dark and is seen against the stars of the constellation Aries. Venus is approaching it now. Jupiter will set at 11:39 p.m.. Mars is the up and coming planet. It will rise near sunset in the east and is below the hind end of the constellation Leo the lion. It is 64.0 million miles away and closing and is getting brighter. It’s now as bright as most first magnitude stars. Mars will pass due south at 1:52 a.m. Saturn will rise at 10:58 p.m. just to the left of the bright star Spica in the east southeast.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars on February 20, 2012 at 5:57 UT (12:57 a.m.). Photograph by Scott Anttila.
We are nor a couple of weeks from the opposition of Mars with the sun on March 3rd. (March is named for Mars, by the way.) It will be closest on March 5th at 62.6 million miles.
02/15/2012 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, February 15th. The sun will rise at 7:43. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 27 minutes, setting at 6:10. The moon, 1 day past last quarter, will rise at 3:45 tomorrow morning.
Let’s see what’s happening with the bright planets for this week. Venus is brilliant in the southwestern sky after sunset and will set at 9:52 in the west. Jupiter is the second brightest planet after Venus. It’s located high in the southwest as it gets dark and is seen against the stars of the constellation Aries. And Venus is approaching it now. Jupiter will set at 12:03 a.m.. Mars is the up and coming planet. It will rise at 7:54 p.m in the east and is below the hind end of the constellation Leo the lion. It is 66.1 million miles away and closing and is getting brighter. It’s now as bright as most first magnitude stars. Mars will pass due south at 2:27 a.m. Saturn will rise at 11:26 p.m. just to the left of the bright star Spica in the east southeast.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
02/08/2011 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, February 8th. The sun will rise at 7:53. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 7 minutes, setting at 6:00. The moon, 1 day past full, will rise at 7:24 this evening.
Let’s see what’s happening with the bright planets for this week. Venus is brilliant in the southwestern sky after sunset and will set at 9:35 in the west. Jupiter the second brightest planet after Venus. It’s located high in the southwest as it gets dark and is seen against the stars of the constellation Aries. It will set at 12:25 a.m.. Mars is the up and coming planet. It will rise at 8:31 p.m in the east and is below the hind end of the constellation Leo the lion. It is 69.2 million miles away and closing and is getting brighter. It’s now as bright as most first magnitude stars. Mars will pass due south at 3:01 a.m. Saturn will rise at 11:54 p.m. just to the left of the bright star Spica in the east southeast.
* Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Venus by Scott Anttila. Taken Monday evening February 6, 2012
Jupiter by Scott Anttila. Taken Monday evening February 6, 2012
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 