Archive
05/02/2022 – Ephemeris – The Moon and Mercury together where we can see them
This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Monday, May 2nd. Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 17 minutes, setting at 8:49, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:29. The Moon, 2 days past new, will set at 11:02 this evening.
The two-day-old thin sliver of a Moon will be left and above Mercury this evening. About the best time to spot them is between 9:30 and 10:15 pm, low in the western sky. They will be seen in the west-northwest. As we move through the week, the Moon will move away from Mercury to the east, while Mercury heads back toward the Sun and, dimming as it goes. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and averages 40 percent of the Earth’s distance from the Sun, so it is never seen at our northerly latitude outside of twilight. Mercury has the most elliptical orbit of the major planets. And it happens that at the best times to see Mercury, on spring evenings and autumn mornings, Mercury is at its nearest to the Sun. Southern Hemisphere observers get a better look at it because their best observing times are when Mercury is farthest from the Sun.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT – 4 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mercury and the 2-day-old Moon as they might appear at 9:30 pm, or about 40 minutes after sunset tonight, May 2, 2022, looking low to the west-northwest. Aldebaran, slightly dimmer than Mercury, is the star to the left of the Moon. Created using Stellarium.
04/27/2022 – Ephemeris – Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, April 27th. Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 4 minutes, setting at 8:42, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:37. The Moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 5:56 tomorrow morning.
Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week. There is one bright planet in the evening sky. Mercury may be spotted around and after 9:30 this evening very low in the west-northwest and be visible for the next hour or so before it sets at 10:43 pm. After that, the planet action shifts to the morning sky. The other 4 naked-eye planets are there. By 5:45 am, the planets will be spread out low from the east to southeast with brilliant Venus closer than ever to Jupiter, lowest in the east. Dim Mars will be to the right and a bit above Venus, while brighter Saturn will be right and above Mars. Saturn will rise tomorrow at 4 am, with Mars following at 4:40. Venus will rise at 5:10 tomorrow morning, followed by Jupiter four minutes later.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT – 4 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mercury and bright winter stars in evening twilight at 9:30 tonight, or about 45 minutes after sunset tonight, April 27, 2022. It might take binoculars to spot the stars of Orion and Taurus, and Mercury itself, which is fading, becoming a crescent. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using Stellarium.
The morning planet parade at 5:45 am or about 50 minutes before sunrise tomorrow, April 28, 2022. Venus will overtake Jupiter during the day, Saturday the 30th. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and Venus in as they might be seen in binoculars, Saturday morning, April 30, 2022. The difference in brightness of Venus compared to Jupiter will be much greater than seen here. The planets will be about a half a degree apart, or about the width of the Moon. The image shows two satellites of Jupiter, Ganymede to the lower left of Jupiter and Callisto to the upper right. A third satellite, Io, is close to the upper right, within the enlarged Jupiter image. Europa is either behind the planet or in its shadow. Sunday morning, Jupiter will be on the other side of Venus, and a bit farther away. Created using Stellarium.
Views of Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn (north up) as they would be seen in a small telescope, with the same magnification, tomorrow morning at 5:45 am, April 28, 2022. I do not show planets less than 10 seconds of arc in diameter. Apparent diameters: Venus 16.78″, 67.4% illuminated; Saturn 16.47″, its rings 38.35″; Jupiter 34.76″. Mars is not shown, its apparent diameter is 5.74″ and is 89.5% illuminated. Mercury, in the evening, has an apparent diameter of 8.05″, and it’s 35.6% illuminated. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on April 27, 2022. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 28th. Notice that all the naked-eye planets except Mercury are in the morning sky now. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp program.
04/20/2022 – Ephemeris – Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, April 20th. Today the Sun will be up for 13 hours and 44 minutes, setting at 8:34, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:48. The Moon, 3 days before last quarter, will rise at 1:51 tomorrow morning.
Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week. There is one bright planet in the evening sky. Mercury may be spotted around and after 9:15 this evening very low in the west-northwest and be visible for the next half hour or so. After that, the planet action shifts to the morning sky. The other 4 naked-eye planets are there. By 6 am, the planets will be spread out low from the east to southeast with brilliant Venus moving closer to Jupiter, lowest in the east. Dim Mars will be to the right and a bit above Venus, while brighter Saturn will be right and above Mars. Saturn will rise tomorrow at 4:27 am, with Mars following at 4:55. Venus will rise at 5:19 tomorrow morning, followed by Jupiter at 5:39 am. The Moon will be in the south at 6 am.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT – 4 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mercury in the evening at 9:15, or about 40 minutes after sunset tonight, April 20, 2022. Created using Stellarium.
Annotated Binocular Moon. What the Moon might look like tomorrow morning, April 21, 2022. Created using Stellarium, GIMP and LibreOffice.
Translations
Mare Frigoris – Sea of Cold
Mare Humorum – Sea of Moisture
Mare Imbrium – Sea of Showers
Mare Nubium – Sea of Clouds
Mare Serenitatis – Sea of Serenity
Oceanus Procellarum – Ocean of Storms
Note that Mare is pronounced Mar-é
Parade of the morning planets at 6 am or about 45 minutes before sunrise tomorrow, April 21, 2022. Created using Stellarium.
Views of Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter (north up) as they would be seen in a small telescope, with the same magnification, tomorrow morning at 6:00 am, April 21, 2022. I do not show planets less than 10 seconds of arc in diameter. Apparent diameters: Venus 18.01″, 64.0% illuminated; Saturn 16.24″, its rings 37.82″; Jupiter 34.24″. Mars is not shown, its apparent diameter is 5.56″ and is 90.2% illuminated. The moons of Jupiter and Saturn may not be visible in twilight. Io transiting the face of Jupiter definitely will not be visible. Jupiter is shown here much dimmer compared to its moons than it actually is. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on April 20, 2022. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 21st. Notice that all the naked-eye planets are in the morning sky now, with the Moon still hanging out in the evening sky. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp program.
04/13/2022 – Ephemeris – Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, April 13th. Today the Sun will be up for 13 hours and 23 minutes, setting at 8:25, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:00. The Moon, 3 days before full, will set at 6:22 tomorrow morning.
Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week. There is one bright planet in the evening sky, but too close to the Sun to be seen. Mercury passed behind the Sun eleven days ago and will be visible later this month, so the planet action still shifts to the morning sky. The other 4 naked-eye planets are there, though Jupiter may be too low in the sky to be seen. By 6:15, the planets will be spread out low in the east-southeast to southeast, with brilliant Venus near the center of the four. Dim Mars will be to the right and a bit above Venus. Brighter Saturn will be right and above Mars. Jupiter will be near the horizon and left of Venus. Jupiter can be still spotted by 6:30 along with Venus and followed even closer to sunrise.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT – 4 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Tonight’s Moon annotated, for 10 pm, April 13, 2022, showing major formations visible in binoculars or a small telescope. Created using Stellarium.
Translations
Mare Crisium – Sea of Crises
Mare Fecunditatis – Sea of Fertility
Mare Humorum – Sea of Moisture
Mare Imbrium – Sea of Showers
Mare Nectaris – Sea of Nectar
Mare Nubium – Sea of Clouds
Mare Serenitatis – Sea of Serenity
Mare Tranquillitatis – Sea of Tranquility
The lineup of morning planets at 6:15 am, about 45 minutes before sunrise tomorrow morning, April 14, 2022. Created using Stellarium.
Views of Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter (north up) as they would be seen in a small telescope, with the same magnification, tomorrow morning at 6:15 am, April 14, 2022. I do not show planets less than 10 seconds of arc in diameter. Apparent diameters: Venus 19.12″, 61.2% illuminated; Saturn 16.07″, its rings 37.44″; Jupiter 33.90″. Mars is not shown, its apparent diameter is 5.43″ and is 90.7% illuminated. The moons of Jupiter and Saturn may not be visible in twilight. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on April 13, 2022. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 14th. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp program.
03/30/2022 – Ephemeris – Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, March 30th. Today the Sun will be up for 12 hours and 40 minutes, setting at 8:07, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:25. The Moon, 2 days before new, will rise at 7:31 tomorrow morning.
Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week. There are no bright planets in the evening sky, so the planet action shifts to the morning sky. All five naked-eye planets are there, though Jupiter and Mercury are too close to the Sun to be seen. Late winter and early spring mornings aren’t the best for spotting planets close to the Sun, since they tend to lie low in the southeastern sky. Venus, Mars, and Saturn will rise within 6 minutes of each other by 5:46. By 6:30, they will be low in the east-southeast with much dimmer Mars to the left of Venus, with Saturn between and a bit below them. Monday, April 4th Mars will appear closest to Saturn, scooting below the ringed planet that evening, so they will appear close together both Monday and Tuesday mornings.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT – 4 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
What the morning planets might appear as at 6:30 tomorrow morning, March 31, 2022. They may be brighter than they actually appear. Created using Stellarium.
Telescopic views of the Venus and Saturn (north up) as they would be seen in a small telescope, with the same magnification, tomorrow morning at 6:30 am, March 31, 2022. I do not show planets less than 10 seconds of arc in diameter. Apparent diameters: Venus 23.52″, 55.0% illuminated; Saturn 15.78″, its rings 36.76″. Mars is not shown, its apparent diameter is 5.18″ and is 91.7% illuminated. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on March 30, 2022. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 31st. Notice that all the naked-eye planets are in the morning sky now, with the Moon still hanging out in the evening sky. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp program.
03/02/2023 – Ephemeris – Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Ephemeris for Ash Wednesday, March 2nd. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 13 minutes, setting at 6:31, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:16. The Moon is new today, and won’t be visible.
Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week. The last evening planet, Jupiter, will pass behind the Sun this Saturday and enter the morning sky. So the action shifts to the morning sky, where Saturn, Mercury, Venus and Mars reside. Saturn and Mercury are too close to the direction of the Sun to be spotted now. Mercury is heading back toward the Sun. Saturn should be able to be spotted in morning twilight in a few weeks as it joins Venus, our brilliant morning star, and Mars in the southeast about half an hour to 45 minutes before sunrise. Tomorrow morning Mars will be below, and right of bright Venus, which will rise at 5 am, with Mars following at 5:26.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT – 5 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Venus and Mars in the morning as they might appear at 6:30 am, about 45 minutes before sunrise, Thursday, March 3, 2022. Created using Stellarium.
Venus through a telescope as it would appear before sunrise tomorrow morning, March 3, 2022. It’s shown larger than usual, since it’s the only planet that looks like anything in a small telescope now. Its apparent diameter is 30.49″, and it is 39.7% illuminated by the Sun. Mars has an apparent diameter of 4.73″.
(” means seconds of arc. 1″ is 1/3600th of a degree). Created using Stellarium, which is also the source for the apparent diameters and the illuminated fraction of Venus.
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on March 2, 2022. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 3rd. There’s a label pile up in the sunrise panel where the Labels for Saturn and Mercury overlay each other. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp program.
02/23/2022 – Ephemeris – Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, February 23rd. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 52 minutes, setting at 6:22, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:28. The Moon, at last quarter today, will rise at 2:43 tomorrow morning.
Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week. The last evening planet, Jupiter, is too close to the setting Sun to be spotted now after sunset. The action now shifts to the morning sky, where Venus and Mars reside. Saturn entered the morning sky sixteen days ago, and it will be about another month or so before it’s far enough from the direction of the Sun to be spotted. Venus, our brilliant morning star, Mars and maybe even Mercury can be spotted low in the southeast by 6:45 am, about half an hour before sunrise. Mars will be below, and right of Venus, while Mercury will be near the horizon left of Venus. Mercury is brighter than Mars, but lower in the more intense twilight. Venus will rise at 5:06, with Mars following at 5:38, and Mercury rising last at 6:32.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT – 5 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Morning planets and the waning crescent Moon at 6:45 am, or about 40 minutes before sunrise tomorrow morning, February 24, 2022. Mercury may not actually be visible. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using Stellarium.
Waning Crescent Moon as it might be shown in binoculars or small telescope tomorrow morning, February 24, 2022. Created using Stellarium.
Venus through a telescope as it would appear before sunrise tomorrow morning, February 24, 2022. It’s shown larger than usual, since it’s the only planet that looks like anything in a small telescope now. Its apparent diameter is 33.72″, and it is 34.9% illuminated by the Sun.
(” means seconds of arc. 1″ is 1/3600th of a degree) Mars has an apparent diameter of 4.63″, while Mercury has one of 6.18″. Created using Stellarium, which is also the source for the apparent diameters and the illuminated fraction of Venus.
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on February 23, 2022. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 24th. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp program.
02/16/2022 – Ephemeris – Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, February 16th. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 31 minutes, setting at 6:12, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:39. The Moon, at full today, will rise at 6:11 this evening.
Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week. There is just one planet left in the evening sky now, and it’s going to leave us soon. Jupiter will be barely visible very low in the west-southwest around 6:45 pm, or a half hour after sunset. It will set at 7:16 pm. Saturn has entered the morning sky, where we’ve lost it for a month or so. Speaking of the morning sky, Venus, our brilliant morning star, Mars and maybe even Mercury can be spotted low in the southeast by 6:55 am, about 45 minutes before sunrise. Mars will be below, and right of Venus, while Mercury will be near the horizon left of Venus. Mercury is brighter than Mars, but lower in more intense twilight. Venus will rise at 5:12, with Mars following at 5:45, and Mercury rising last at 6:30.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT – 5 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter, tonight, is barely visible in the west-southwest at 6:45 pm, about 34 minutes after sunset, February 16, 2022. Created using Stellarium.
The full Moon as it might appear as it rises tonight, as viewed in binoculars. Notice the squashed appearance of the Moon, which is due to the fact that atmospheric refraction is affecting the bottom part of the Moon more than the top. Created using Stellarium.
Venus, Mars and Mercury, visible at 6:45 am, or about 55 minutes before sunrise, tomorrow February 17, 2022. Mercury is at its greatest elongation or separation from the Sun. Created using Stellarium.
Only one planet is worth attention through a telescope. That one is Venus as a bright crescent. Venus is magnified much more than I normally do, so the caption will fit under it. Created using Stellarium.
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on February 16, 2022. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 17th. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp program.
02/09/2022 – Ephemeris – Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, February 9th. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 11 minutes, setting at 6:02, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:50. The Moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 3:37 tomorrow morning.
Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week. There is just one planet left in the evening sky now, and it’s going to leave us soon. Jupiter will be visible in the west-southwest around 6:30 pm. It will set at 7:35 pm. Saturn is too close to the Sun to be seen, It crossed behind the Sun last Friday, and has entered the morning sky, where we will lose it for a month or so. Speaking of the morning sky, Venus, our brilliant morning star, Mars and maybe even Mercury can be spotted low in the southeast by 7 o’clock. Mars will be below, right of Venus, while Mercury will be near the horizon left of Venus. Mercury is brighter than Mars, but lower in more intense twilight. Venus will rise at 5:23, with Mars following at 5:53, and Mercury rising last at 6:32.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT – 5 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter in evening twilight tonight at 6:30 pm or about a half hour after sunset, February 9, 2022. Created using Stellarium.
The waxing gibbous Moon as it might appear tonight in binoculars or small telescope. Created using Stellarium.
Venus, Mars, and Mercury at 7 am, or about 50 minutes before sunrise in the morning twilight. Created using Stellarium.
Telescopic views of the Jupiter and its moons; and Venus (north up) as they would be seen in a small telescope, with the same magnification, overnight, February 9/10, 2022. As far as Jupiter is concerned, I’m not sure its moons will be visible in the twilight or close to the horizon. I do not show planets less than 10 seconds of arc in diameter. Apparent diameters: Jupiter, 33.34″ at 6:45 pm. Mars is not shown, its apparent diameter is 4.44″. Venus has an apparent diameter of 42.07″ and is 23.8% illuminated at 7 am. Mercury, is also not shown, it has an apparent diameter of 7.73″ and it’s 47.3% illuminated. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on February 9, 2022. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 10th. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp program.
01/12/2022 – Ephemeris – Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week
This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 12th. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 6 minutes, setting at 5:24, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:17. The Moon, 3 days past first quarter, will set at 4:45 tomorrow morning.
Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week. There are three planets left in the evening sky now. Jupiter will be visible in the southwest by 6:15 pm. Saturn should appear below and right of it, much closer to the Horizon, with the slightly brighter Mercury a bit below and right of it. Mercury is a bit brighter than Saturn, but in brighter twilight. Finding Saturn and Mercury might take a pair of binoculars. Mercury will set at 6:55 pm, Saturn at 7:07, and Jupiter at 8:52 pm. In the morning sky, Mars is now visible by 7:15 am low in the southeast. Mars’ rival in color and brightness, the red giant star Antares, is to its right and a bit higher. Another bright star is low in the east at that time, the summer time evening star Altair.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EST, UT – 5 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The three planets in evening twilight at 6:15 pm tonight, January 12, 2022. Created using Stellarium.
The waxing gibbous Moon, seen at 9 pm tonight, January 12, 2022. The easily spotted craters of Plato, Copernicus and Tycho are labeled. Created using Stellarium.
Telescopic views of the bright planets and their brighter moons (north up) as they would be seen in a small telescope, with the same magnification, this evening at 7 pm, January 12, 2022. I do not show planets less than 10 seconds of arc in diameter. Apparent diameters: Saturn 15.34″, its rings 35.74″; Jupiter, 34.59″. Mercury is not shown, its apparent diameter is 4.12″ and is 34.1% illuminated. Mars also is not shown, its apparent diameter is 4.12″. Jupiter is showing two of its moons transiting its face. They will actually be invisible. Ganymede’s start of transit will be at 6:50 pm and should be visible before then. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree). Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on January 12, 2022. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 13th. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp program.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 