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12/31/2014 – Ephemeris – A New Year’s look at the bright planets and a comet
Ephemeris for New Years Eve, Wednesday, December 31st. The sun will rise at 8:19. It’ll be up for 8 hours and 52 minutes, setting at 5:11. The moon, 3 days past first quarter, will set at 4:42 tomorrow morning.
Lets take a last look at the bright planets for 2014. Mercury joins Venus low in the southwest. It will be below and right of Venus and will set at 6:07 p.m. Venus is low in the southwest shortly after sunset. It now sets at 6:26 p.m., an hour and 15 minutes after the sun. It will be seen low in the southwestern twilight by 5:55 p.m. Mars is low in the southwest at 7 p.m. and is in the constellation of Capricornus. The Red Planet will set tonight at 8:36 p.m. Jupiter will rise in the east at 8:33 p.m. It’s near the sickle-shaped head of Leo. Jupiter is now moving slowly westward. This is an effect that happens because the Earth is passing Jupiter, a motion shared by all the planets that baffled the ancients who thought the Earth to be motionless. Early risers will be able to spot Saturn which will rise in the east-southeast at 5:10 a.m.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mercury, Venus and Mars are seen in the southwestern sky shortly after sunset. In this case 5:45 p.m. December 31, 2014, only 34 minutes after sunset. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter, the Moon and the winter constellations at 9:30 p.m. December 31, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The Moon as it will appear in binoculars at 9:30 p.m. December 31, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter seen through a telescope at 9:30 p.m. December 31, 2014. Note that Ganymede and Europa will appear very close to each other. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn and the late spring and early summer constellations at 7 a.m. New Year’s Day 2015. Created using Stellarium.
Comet Lovejoy
Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2) plotted for 9 p.m. from 12/31/2014 to 1/06/2015. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).
12/03/2014 – Ephemeris – Bright planets: One early and one late
Ephemeris for Wednesday, December 3rd. The sun will rise at 8:01. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 1 minute, setting at 5:03. The moon, 3 days before full, will set at 5:48 tomorrow morning.
In reviewing which planets are visible tonight, it looks like we’re still down to two. Venus, Saturn and Mercury are hanging around near the direction of the Sun. It will be a little while before we see them again. However we can see Mars, which will be low in the southwest at 7 p.m. It will set at 8:29 p.m. Mars’ setting time will slowly advance only 6 minutes between now and the end of the year. Jupiter will rise at 10:28 p.m. in the east-northeast. The best telescopic views will have to wait a couple of hours after that. So if you’re more of an early bird rather than a night owl it might be better to view Jupiter with a telescope in the morning. Jupiter has those four bright moons that change position daily, and sometimes while you watch.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars in the southwest at 7 p.m. December 3, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
A binocular view of what the moon will look like at 7 p.m. December 3, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter rising with the winter constellations at 11 p.m., December 3, 2014. We’re actually looking at the eastern half of the sky. Created using Stellarium.
At 6 a.m. December 4, 2014 Jupiter and the winter constellations will swing into the southwest while out of the view the spring and early summer stars take over the eastern sky. Created using Stellarium.
Telescopic view of Jupiter at 6 a.m. December 4, 2014. The moons on the left in order from left to right are Callisto, Ganymede and Europa. In the next hour the moons will appear to get even closer together, especially Ganymede and Callisto. Created using Stellarium.
11/26/2014 – Ephemeris – Where did all the planets go?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, November 26th. The sun will rise at 7:53. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 12 minutes, setting at 5:06. The moon, 3 days before first quarter, will set at 9:41 this evening.
In reviewing which planets are visible tonight, it looks like we’re down to two. Venus, Saturn and Mercury are hanging around near the direction of the Sun. It will be a while before we see them again. However we can see Mars, which will be low in the southwest at 7 p.m. It will set at 8:29 p.m. Mars’ setting time will slowly advance only 6 minutes between now and the end of the year. Jupiter will rise at 10:54 p.m. in the east-northeast. The best telescopic views will have to wait a couple of hours after that. So if you’re more of an early bird rather than a night owl it might be better to view Jupiter with a telescope in the morning. Jupiter has those four bright moons that change position daily, and sometimes while you watch.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars with the crescent Moon at 7 p.m. on November 26, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The crescent moon as it would appear in binoculars at 7 p.m. on November 26, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter rising with the winter constellations at 11:30 p.m. on November 26, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter with the winter constellations at 6:30 a.m. on November 27, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter as seen in a telescope at 6:30 a.m. on November 27, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
11/19/2014 – Ephemeris – Where did all the bright planets go?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, November 19th. The sun will rise at 7:44. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 26 minutes, setting at 5:10. The moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 5:34 tomorrow morning.
In reviewing which planets are visible tonight, it looks like we’re down to two. Venus, Saturn and Mercury are hanging around near the direction of the Sun. It will be a while before we see them again. However we can see Mars, which will be low in the southwest at 7 p.m. It will set at 8:29 p.m. Jupiter will rise at 11:20 p.m. in the east-northeast. The best telescopic views will have to wait a couple of hours after that. So if you’re more of an early bird rather than a night owl it might be better to view Jupiter with a telescope in the morning. Jupiter has those four bright moons that change position daily, and sometimes while you watch if they appear close enough to each other. On the planet are cloud bands and the elusive Great Red Spot.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mercury, Saturn and Venus appear near the Sun near sunset at 5 p.m. on November 19, 2014. Displayed planets as their symbols. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Mars and the setting summer constellations at 7 p.m. on November 19, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and the rising winter constellations at midnight November 20, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter with winter and spring constellations at 6:30 a.m. on November 20, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and moons through a telescope at 6:30 a.m. on November 20, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
11/12/2014 – Ephemeris – A look at the bright planets for this week.
Ephemeris for Wednesday, November 12th. The sun will rise at 7:35. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 42 minutes, setting at 5:17. The moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 10:38 this evening.
Tonight Mars will be low in the southwest at 7 p.m. It will set at 8:30 p.m. Jupiter now rises before midnight at 11:45 p.m. The best telescopic views will have to wait a couple of hours. Better to view Jupiter in the morning. The planet Mercury is making its autumn morning appearance now, rising in the east-southeast at 6:19 a.m. By 6:45 or so it should be visible low in the eastern sky, below and left of the star Spica, of about the same brightness, but has a bluish tinge in binoculars. Mercury is brightening as moves away from us and its phase appears fuller. Being close in to the sun its distance doesn’t vary by much so its brightness is governed more by its phase. Its separation from the sun is now down to 14.5 degrees.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars and setting summer constellations at 7 p.m. on November 12, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and the Moon rising at midnight on November 13, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The Moon as seen in binoculars at midnight November 13, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The morning sky including the Moon, Jupiter and Mercury at 6:30 a.m. on November 13, 2014.
Jupiter and moons through a telescope at 6:30 a.m. November 13, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Mercury in twilight showing also its orbit. No, you won’t see that in the real sky. Mercury is sliding back from its peak a couple of weeks ago. 7 a.m. on November 13, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
11/05/2014 – Ephemeris – This week there’s one bright planet in the early evening and two in the morningf
Ephemeris for Wednesday, November 5th. The sun will rise at 7:25. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 1 minute, setting at 5:26. The moon, 1 day before full, will set at 6:56 tomorrow morning.
Tonight Mars will be low in the southwest at 7 p.m. It will set at 8:32 p.m. The sky will stay devoid of bright planets until Jupiter rises at 12:13 a.m. Jupiter is visible this morning in twilight an hour earlier than last week, in the south-southeast along with the brighter stars of winter, a preview of colder evenings to come. The planet Mercury is making its autumn morning appearance now, rising in the east-southeast at 5:48 a.m. By 6:20 or so it should be visible low in the sky. Mercury is brightening as moves away from us and its phase becomes fuller. Being close in to the sun its distance doesn’t vary by much so its brightness is governed more by its phase. Its separation from the sun is now an 18 degree angle and slowly decreasing.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mars and the bright Moon at 7 p.m. on November 5, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The nearly full Moon as it would be seen in binoculars at 7 p.m. on November 5, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Panorama of the morning sky at 6 a.m. with Jupiter and the just risen Mercury, with the Moon hanging on in the west. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and moons as seen in a telescope at 6 a.m., November 6, 2014. The moon Io, visible earlier in the morning, is hiding behind the planet. Created using Stellarium.
Mercury low in the east at 7 a.m., November 6, 2014. Note its altitude is 11 degrees above the flat horizon. Also shown is Mercury’s orbit. Created using Stellarium.
11/03/2014 – Ephemeris – Mercury is now visible in the morning
Ephemeris for Monday, November 3rd. The sun will rise at 7:22. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 5 minutes, setting at 5:28. The moon, 3 days before full, will set at 4:35 tomorrow morning.
When I talk about the planet Mercury I usually use the adjective elusive. There’s a good reason for that. Mercury is always close to the sun, being the innermost planet, and it has the most eccentric orbit of all the planets. Due to our location on the northern hemisphere of the Earth Mercury is best visible on autumn mornings and spring evenings. These two views, 6 months apart, means that we, at both times are looking at the same part of Mercury’s orbit, but from opposite sides. The part of Mercury’s orbit we see is the part of its orbit closest to the sun, so the angular separation is not very wide, 19 degrees this elongation. Observers in the southern hemisphere whose seasons are opposite ours have a much better view. For them Mercury is at its farthest from the sun, and they get elongations of over 25 degrees.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mercury at 7 a.m. November 3, 2014 showing its orbit. Created using Stellarium.
10/29/2014 – Ephemeris – A last look at the bright planets for October
Ephemeris for Wednesday, October 29th. The sun will rise at 8:16. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 19 minutes, setting at 6:35. The moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 11:41 this evening.
Tonight Mars will be low in the southwest at 8 p.m. below and right of the Moon in the constellation of Sagittarius, and will set at 9:35 p.m. The sky will stay devoid of bright planets until Jupiter rises at 1:33 a.m. Jupiter is visible this morning in twilight in the south-southeast along with the brighter stars of winter, a preview of colder evenings to come. The planet Mercury makes its autumn morning appearance for the next week or so, rising in the east-southeast at 6:38. By 7:20 or so it should be visible low in the sky. It’s greatest western elongation will be this Saturday, and it will pass perihelion, its closest to the Sun, this Sunday, so despite its greatest elongation, it’s less than a 19 degree angle from the Sun.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Ephemeris
Mars, the Moon and the setting stars of summer at 8 p.m. on October 29, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The Moon as it would appear in binoculars at 8 p.m. October 29, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The morning planets and constellations at 7:30 a.m. October 30, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and its moons as seen in a telescope at 7:30 a.m. October 30, 2014. Io is behind Jupiter. Created using Stellarium.
07/30/2014 – Ephemeris – Wednesday is classic planet day on Ephemeris
Ephemeris for Wednesday, July 30th. The sun rises at 6:26. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 43 minutes, setting at 9:10. The moon, half way from new to first quarter, will set at 10:40 this evening.
It’s Wednesday and once again time to look at the bright planets for this week. Reddish Mars is in Virgo in the southwest as darkness falls. It’s 109 million miles (176 million km) away now, over twice as far as it was last April, and will set at 12:17 a.m. Saturn will be low in the south-southwest as darkness falls, in the faint constellation of Libra the scales. It will set at 1:11 a.m. Saturn’s in perfect position for viewing with a small or large telescopes to see those fabulous rings and its large moon Titan. Somewhat larger telescopes can spot some smaller moons closer in. Brilliant Venus will rise in the east northeast
The Moon, Mars and Saturn at 10 p.m. on July 30, 2014. The bright star right of Mars is Spica, and the bright star left of Saturn is Antares. Created using Stellarium.
The Moon as seen in binoculars at 10 p.m. on July 30, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn and its moons on the evening of July 30, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Venus and the winter constellations rising at 5:30 a.m. on July 31, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
at 4:33 a.m. in morning twilight. Mercury will rise at 5:36 and be nearly impossible to spot below Venus.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
07/23/2014 – Ephemeris – It’s Wednesday. Do you know where the bright planets are?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, July 23rd. The sun rises at 6:19. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 58 minutes, setting at 9:18. The moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 4:28 tomorrow morning.
It’s Wednesday and once again time to locate the bright planets for this week. Reddish Mars is in Virgo in the southwest as darkness falls. It’s 105 million miles (169 million km) away now, nearly 3 times farther away than it was last April, and will set at 12:39 a.m. Saturn will be low in the south-southwest as darkness falls, in the faint constellation of Libra the scales. It will set at 1:38 a.m. Saturn’s in perfect position for viewing with a small or large telescopes to see those fabulous rings and its large moon Titan. Somewhat larger telescopes can spot some smaller moons closer in. Brilliant Venus will rise in the east at 4:22 a.m. in morning twilight. Mercury will rise at 4:46 and be barely visible below Venus. The crescent moon will be right of Venus tomorrow morning.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The evening planets Mars and Saturn with the zodiacal constellations at 10:30 p.m. on July 23, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn through a telescope. In small telescopes of the moons only Titan will be visible. July 23, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Venus, Mercury, and the crescent Moon at 5:30 a.m. on July 24, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 