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07/16/2014 – Ephemeris – A late post for the planet day
Ephemeris for Wednesday, July 16th. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 11 minutes, setting at 9:24. The moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 11:52 this evening. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:13.
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 101 million miles (163 million km) away now, nearly 2 and a half times farther away than last April, and will set at 12:56 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 2:06 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 4:14 a.m. in morning twilight. Mercury will rise at 4:46 and be barely visible below Venus.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
I’m late on this one, so the planet positions below are for Thursday evening and Friday Morning.
Mars and Saturn with the evening stars and constellations at 11 p.m. Thursday July 17, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn through a telescope. In small telescopes of the moons only Titan will be visible. July 17, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Venus and Mercury at 5:30 a.m. July 18, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
06/04/2014 – Ephemeris – Last week for all 5 pre-telescopic planets to be visible for a while
Ephemeris for Wednesday, June 4th. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 23 minutes, setting at 9:22. The moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 1:39 tomorrow morning. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 5:58.
It’s Wednesday and once again time to locate the bright planets for this week. Mercury is showing up in the west shortly after sunset, It is getting dimmer (magnitude 1.6) as it is becoming a thin crescent. It will set at 10:47. Brilliant Jupiter will be in the western sky in Gemini as darkness falls tonight. It will set at 11:59 p.m. Reddish Mars is in Virgo in the south-southwest as darkness falls. It’s 76 million miles (122 million km) away now, and moving away, and will set at 3:14 a.m. Saturn will be low in the southeast as darkness falls. It’s in the faint constellation of Libra the scales this year. It will pass due south at 11:55 p.m. Brilliant Venus will rise in the east at 4:21 a.m. in morning twilight.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Jupiter, Mars, Saturn and the Moon seen at 11 p.m. June 4, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and moons in a telescope at 11 p.m. June 4, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The Moon as it might appear in binoculars at 11 p.m. on June 4, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Mars, probably a bit better than it will appear in a small telescope at 11 p.m. June 4, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn with some of its moons, not all of them will be visible in a small telescope, at 11 p.m. on June 4, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Venus in morning twilight in the east at 5:15, June 5, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Venus showing its gibbous phase in a telescope at 5:15 a.m. on June 5, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
05/28/2014 – Ephemeris – Wednesday is planet day on Ephemeris
Ephemeris for Wednesday, May 28th. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 14 minutes, setting at 9:17. The moon is new today, and won’t be visible. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:02.
It’s Wednesday and once again time to locate the bright planets for this week. Mercury is showing up in the west shortly after sunset, It was at its farthest from the Sun 3 days ago. It will set at 11:09. Brilliant Jupiter will be in the western sky in Gemini as darkness falls tonight. It will set at 12:25 a.m. Reddish Mars is in Virgo in the south as darkness falls. It will pass due south at 9:52 p.m. It’s 72 million miles (115 million km) away now, and moving away, and will set at 3:41 a.m. Saturn will be low in the southeast as darkness falls. It’s in the faint constellation of Libra the scales this year. It will pass due south at 12:24 a.m. Brilliant Venus will rise in the east at 4:29 a.m. in morning twilight.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The planets Mercury, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn at 10:30 p.m. on May 28, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Mercury barely shows a disc in telescopes.
In the planetary images below the scale is the same. It is the same as using the same magnifying power for each planet.
Jupiter is definitely the largest appearing planet.
Jupiter and its four moons Galilean moons at 10:30 p.m. May 28, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Mars at 10:30 p.m. May 28, 2014. Detail is difficult to see. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn and moons as seen through a telescope at 10:30 p.m. on May 28, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Venus in a telescope at 5:30 a.m. May 29, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Venus in the eastern twilight at 5:30 a.m. May 29, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
05/21/2014 – Ephemeris – All the classical naked eye planets are visible this week
Ephemeris for Wednesday, May 21st. Today the sun will be up for 15 hours and 1 minute, setting at 9:10. The moon, at last quarter today, will rise at 2:42 tomorrow morning. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:07.
It’s Wednesday and once again time to locate the bright planets for this week. Mercury is showing up in the west shortly after sunset, It will be at its farthest from the Sun on the 25th. It will set at 11:10. Brilliant Jupiter will be in the western sky in Gemini as darkness falls tonight. It will set at 12:44 a.m. Reddish Mars is in Virgo in the southeast as darkness falls. It will pass due south at 10:18 p.m. It’s 68 million miles (109 million km) away now, and moving away, and will set at 4:09 a.m. Saturn will be low in the southeast as darkness falls. It’s in the faint constellation of Libra the scales this year. It will pass due south at 12:54 a.m. Brilliant Venus will rise in the east at 4:37 a.m. in morning twilight.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
All the evening planets from Mercury to Saturn at 10:30 p.m. May 21, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Telescopic images of the moon and planets are not to scale.
Mercury in a telescope 10:30 p.m. May 21, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and moons in a telescope 10:30 p.m. May 21, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Mars in a telescope 10:30 p.m. May 21, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn and its moon Titan in a telescope 10:30 p.m. May 21, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Venus and the Moon looking east at 5:30 a.m. May 22, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The Moon in a telescope at 5:30 a.m. May 22, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Venus in a telescope at 5:30 a.m. May 22, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
05/14/2014 – Ephemeris – All 5 bright planets are visible this week
Ephemeris for Wednesday, May 14th. Today the sun will be up for 14 hours and 46 minutes, setting at 9:02. The moon, at full today, will rise at 9:05 this evening. Tomorrow the sun will rise at 6:14.
It’s Wednesday and once again time to locate the bright planets for this week. Mercury is beginning to show up in the west shortly after sunset, It will be at its farthest from the Sun on the 25th. It will set at 10:51. Brilliant Jupiter will be in the western sky as darkness falls tonight. It will set at 1:07 a.m. Reddish Mars is in Virgo in the southeast as darkness falls. It will pass due south at 10:47 p.m. It’s 64.6 million miles away now, and moving away, and will set at 4:38 a.m. Saturn will be low in the southeast as darkness falls. It’s in the faint constellation of Libra the scales this year. It will pass due south at 1:23 a.m. Brilliant Venus will rise in the east at 4:46 a.m. in twilight.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mercury low in the west at 9:30 p.m. May 14, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
All the evening planets from Mercury to Saturn plus the moon at 10:30 p.m. May 14, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Mercury through a telescope on May 14, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and its moons at 10:30 p.m. May 14, 2014. Europa is being occulted by Jupiter. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).
Europa will disappear behind the moon at 9:48 p.m, and will reappear after Jupiter sets for northern Michigan. Places west of here will see Europa reappear before Jupiter sets.
Mars through a telescope at 10:30 p.m. on May 14, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn through a telescope. on May 14, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The Moon as it would appear through binoculars at 10:30 p.m. May 14, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Venus in the east at 5:30 a.m. on May 15, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Venus through a telescope on May 15, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
02/05/2014 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, February 5th. The sun will rise at 7:56. It’ll be up for 10 hours and 1 minute, setting at 5:57. The moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 1:10 tomorrow morning.
Let’s take our weekly look at the planets. Tiny Mercury is 4 days after its greatest eastern elongation and is seen low in the west-southwest between sunset and 7:25, when it sets. After that Jupiter takes over the evening sky. It will be in the southeastern sky as darkness falls tonight. It’s cruising against the stars of Gemini now. It will pass due south at 10:28 p.m., and will set at 6:11 a.m. in the west-northwest. Mars will rise at 11:37 p.m. in the east-southeast. Reddish Mars is in Virgo now and above the bright star Spica, which it now outshines. Saturn will rise at 2:06 a.m. in the east-southeast. It’s seen against Libra the scales this year. Venus will rise at 5:38 tomorrow morning, and shines brightly in the southeast before sunrise.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mercury, its orbit and the ecliptic (you’ll only see Mercury) at 6:30 p.m. on February 5, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter, the Moon and the constellations of winter at 9 p.m. February 5, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The Moon at 9 p.m. February 5, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and it’s satellites at 9 p.m. February 5, 2014. The satellites from left to right are Ganymede, Europa, Callisto and Io) Callisto may not be visible against the face of Jupiter. Created using Stellarium.
Mars, Saturn, and Venus at 6:30 a.m. February 6, 2014 along with imaginary lines of Venus’ orbit and the ecliptic. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn and its satellites at 6:30 a.m. February 6, 2014. You’ll need a big telescope to see any satellites other than Titan. Created using Stellarium.
Venus through a telescope. The planet is getting smaller and its crescent is getting fatter as it moves away from the Earth. Created using Stellarium.
Sorry for the late post, but I was watching the Bill Nye – Ken Ham creationist debate last night. Bill took him apart like Inherit the Wind 2.
01/31/2014 – Ephemeris – Previewing February skies
Ephemeris for Friday, January 31st. The sun will rise at 8:02. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 47 minutes, setting at 5:50. The moon, 1 day past new, will set at 7:18 this evening.
Lets look ahead at the short month of February. It’s so short that this year it has no new moons. To make up for it both January and March have two. We’re in the depths of winter but the sun is continuing its return to northern climes. This is reflected in the increase in daylight hours, from 9 hours 50 minutes tomorrow to 11 hours 7 minutes on the 28th. These times are for the Interlochen/Traverse City area. Durations are slightly shorter in the northern part of our listening area and slightly longer to the south.. As the month goes on the weather should generally warm up, though this year who knows what will happen. Mercury is seen early for the next week or so and Jupiter are seen in the evening along with all the wonderful constellations of winter.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
A star chart for February 15th at 9 p.m. Add a half hour to every week before the 15th and subtract and hour for every week after the 15th. Created using my LookingUp program.
For a list of constellation names to go with the abbreviations click here
01/29/2014 – Ephemeris – We could spot all the 5 naked eye planets this week
Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 29th. The sun will rise at 8:04. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 42 minutes, setting at 5:47. The moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 7:27 tomorrow morning.
Let’s take our weekly look at the planets. Tiny Mercury is 3 days from its greatest eastern elongation low in the west-southwest between sunset and 7:22, when it sets. After that Jupiter takes over the evening sky. It will be in the eastern sky as darkness falls tonight. It’s cruising against the stars of Gemini now. It will move southeast and pass due south at 10:59 p.m., and will set at 6:41 a.m. in the west-northwest. Mars will rise at 11:55 p.m. in the east-southeast. Reddish Mars is in Virgo now and above the bright star Spica. Saturn will rise at 2:32 a.m. in the east-southeast. It’s seen against Libra the scales this year. Venus will rise at 6:02 tomorrow morning, so it may become visible around 6:30 or so very low in the east-southeast.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mercury in the west southwest at 6:15 p.m. on January 29, 2014. Also displayed is Mercury’s orbit. It will reach the peak, its greatest eastern elongation from the Sun on Friday. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter with the winter constellations at 9 p.m. on January 29, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The telescopic Jupiter at 9 p.m. and January 29, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Mars, Saturn and Venus with the spring constellations at 6:30 a.m. on January 29, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn and its moons at 6:30, January 30, 2014. Of the moons, Titan will be the only one visible in small telescopes. Created using Stellarium.
Venus as seen in a telescope at 7 a.m. on January 30, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
01/27/2014 – Ephemeris – Mercury’s back in the evening sky now
Ephemeris for Monday, January 27th. The sun will rise at 8:06. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 37 minutes, setting at 5:44. The moon, half way from last quarter to new, will rise at 5:47 tomorrow morning.
Mercury is now making an appearance in the evening sky. It will have its greatest elongation or angular separation from the sun on Friday of 18.4 degrees. Mercury has a markedly elliptical orbit. Unfortunately both the best times to view Mercury from the northern hemisphere of earth, late summer and autumn mornings and late winter and spring evenings, Mercury is near perihelion or closest point in its orbit to the sun. The southern hemisphere, which has seasons opposite from ours, has the same viewing opportunities in late summer and autumn mornings and late winter and spring evenings. Only for them Mercury is near aphelion or its farthest from the sun, so this planet can be seen just outside of twilight, where we don’t have that luxury.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mercury and its orbit as seen from Earth at 6:15 p.m. on January 27, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Mercury will move to the top of the orbital loop Friday about 5 a.m. and descend to the right. The Mercury image will be posted Wednesday again.
01/22/2014 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 22nd. The sun will rise at 8:11. It’ll be up for 9 hours and 26 minutes, setting at 5:37. The moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 12:27 tomorrow morning.
Let’s take our weekly look at the planets. Tiny Mercury is starting its week and a half appearance low in the west-southwest between sunset and 6:53, when it sets. After that Jupiter takes over the evening sky. It will be in the eastern sky as darkness falls tonight. It’s cruising against the stars of Gemini now. It will rise and pass due south at 11:30 p.m., and will set at 7:11 a.m. in the west-northwest. Mars will rise at 12:11 a.m. in the east-southeast. Reddish Mars is in Virgo now and above the bright star Spica and the Moon tomorrow morning. Saturn will rise at 2:57 a.m. in the east-southeast. It’s seen against Libra the scales this year. Venus will rise at 6:35 tomorrow morning, so it may become visible around 7 or so very low in the east-southeast.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Mercury in the west-southwest at 6:15 p.m. on January 22, 2014. Also displayed is Mercury’s orbit, the loop, and the ecliptic, the plane of the Earth’s orbit. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter with the winter constellations at 9 p.m. on January 22, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The telescopic Jupiter at 9 p.m. and January 22, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Mars, Saturn and the Moon with the spring constellations at 6:30 a.m. on January 23, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
The Moon and the star Spica at 6:30 a.m. on January 23, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Saturn and its moons at 6:30, January 23, 2014. Of the moons, Titan will be the only one visible in small telescopes. Created using Stellarium.
Venus in the east-southeast at 7:45 a.m. on January 23, 2014. Also displayed is Venus’ orbit, the loop, and the ecliptic, the plane of Earth. Created using Stellarium.
Venus as seen in a telescope at 7:45 a.m. on January 23, 2014. Created using Stellarium.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 