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Ephemeris: Finding Andromeda and the great galaxy within
This is Ephemeris for Tuesday, September 29th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 48 minutes, setting at 7:26, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:39. The Moon, 3 days past full, will rise at 8:35 this evening.
For at least the last thousand or so years a fuzzy spot in the constellation of Andromeda has been known. It was known as the Great Andromeda Nebula until a little over 100 years ago. Nebula means cloud, and it belonged to the Milky Way. At that time it was finally recognized as another Milky Way just like ours. So the word to call it was galaxy, a word that’s related to milk. It looks to be among the stars of Andromeda, but it’s far beyond the stars that we make the constellation of Andromeda. Current estimates place it at about two and a half million light years away, well beyond the stars that we see in Andromeda that range to only a few thousand light years distance. It could collide with our galaxy in about 4 billion years or so.
The astronomical event times given in this blog are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (Lat 44.7° N, Long 85.7° W; EDT, UT – 4 hours) unless stated otherwise. Times will be different for other locations.
Addendum
Ephemeris: 09/10/2026 – Finding Pegasus the winged horse of Greek myth
This is Ephemeris for Thursday, September 10th. Today the Sun will be up for 12 hours and 46 minutes, setting at 8:02, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:17. The Moon is new today, and won’t be visible.
Saturn is low in the eastern sky at 10 PM. This is the brightest “star” in that direction. Above Saturn is the Great Square of Pegasus, a large, nearly perfect square of stars, standing on one corner. This is the front part of the body of Pegasus the flying horse. He’s climbing to the upper right, following the rotation of the sky. But it’s flying upside down, having its neck and head extend from the rightmost star of the square. From the top star are his forelegs extend. From the leftmost star extend two curved lines of stars which may look like hind legs, but belong to another constellation, Andromeda the Princess. Pegasus’ wings are not seen in the stars. Pegasus is part of a Greek myth, which has been made into two movies, both titled Clash of the Titans. But no actual Titans were used in the movies. All gods and godesses in the movie were their decendents.
The astronomical event times given in this blog are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (Lat 44.7° N, Long 85.7° W; EDT, UT – 4 hours) unless stated otherwise. Times will be different for other locations.
Addendum
Ephemeris: 10/16/2025 – The Anishinaabe saw a Moose where Pegasus is
This is Ephemeris for Thursday, October 16th. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 55 minutes, setting at 6:55, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:01. The Moon, 3 days past last quarter, will rise at 3:57 tomorrow morning.
High in the southeast at 10 PM is the constellation officially called Pegasus the flying horse. The front part of his body is a pattern of stars we call the Great Square of Pegasus, and he’s flying upside down, quite an aerobatic horse. His wings are not seen in the stars, however his neck and head, up to his nose is, along with his front legs. The Anishinaabe peoples of this area call it Mooz, from which we get our word moose. He’s right side up, facing the west. His head is where we see the front legs of Pegasus, and his antlers are above it where there is another official constellation made of faint stars called Lacerta, which is a lizard. Not everyone sees the same figure in the stars.
The astronomical event times given in this blog are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (Lat 44.7° N, Long 85.7° W; EDT, UT – 4 hours) unless stated otherwise. Times will be different for other locations.
Addendum
Ephemeris: 09/26/2025 – Pegasus rising
This is Ephemeris for Friday, September 26th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 56 minutes, setting at 7:32, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:36. The Moon, 3 days before first quarter, will set at 9:19 this evening.
Saturn is well up in the east southeastern sky at 10 PM. This is the brightest “star” in that direction. Below it, at about the 4 o’clock position from it is Fomalhaut, which I sometimes call the loneliest star in the sky, because without Saturn or another planet in that direction it seems pretty much alone low in the south. Above and a bit to the left of Saturn is the Great Square of Pegasus A four star group standing on one corner which is the body of Pegasus the flying horse. Between Saturn and the Great Square is a faint and small circle of five or six stars called the Circlet, an asterism, which is a loop around one of the fish of Pisces the fish. Pisces is two fish held together by a long rope.
The astronomical event times given in this blog are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (Lat 44.7° N, Long 85.7° W; EDT, UT – 4 hours) unless stated otherwise. Times will be different for other locations.
Addendum
Ephemeris: 09/11/2025 – Finding Pegasus the flying horse
This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Thursday, September 11th. Today the Sun will be up for 12 hours and 43 minutes, setting at 8:00, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:18. The Moon, 3 days before last quarter, will rise at 9:43 this evening.
While we’ve been watching the stars and constellations of summer and the Milky Way, the constellations of autumn have been sneaking up on us from the east. Low in the east at 9 PM is one of the greatest constellations of autumn, Pegasus the flying horse. Her body or at least the front part of it is a large square of stars called the Great Square of Pegasus. It is an almost perfect rectangle. However, as she’s rising, it’s standing on one corner. This year it is above and left of Saturn. From the upper star are her front legs, from the rightmost star her neck and head extend in the stars. And from the left star of the square are what might look like her hind legs but aren’t. Only half of her body is in the stars. It’s another constellation, Andromeda.
The astronomical event times given in this blog are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (Lat 44.7° N, Long 85.7° W; EDT, UT – 4 hours) unless stated otherwise. Times will be different for other locations.
Addendum
Ephemeris: 09/24/2024 – Pegasus is rising on autumn evenings
This is Ephemeris for Tuesday, September 24th. Today the Sun will be up for 12 hours and 2 minutes, setting at 7:35, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:34. The Moon, at last quarter today, will rise at 11:47 this evening.
While we’ve been watching the stars and constellations of summer and the Milky Way, the constellations of autumn have been sneaking up on us from the east. About halfway up the sky in the east at 9 PM is one of the greatest constellations of autumn, Pegasus the flying horse. Her body or at least the front part of it is a large square of stars called the Great Square of Pegasus. It is an almost perfect rectangle. However, as she’s rising, it’s standing on one corner. From the upper star are her front legs, from the rightmost star her neck and head extend in the stars. And from the left star of the square are what might look like her hind legs but aren’t. Only half of her body is in the stars. It’s another constellation, Andromeda, which we’ll talk about later.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT – 4 hours). Times will be different for other locations.
Addendum
Ephemeris: 10/16/2023 – Finding the constellation of Andromeda
This is Ephemeris for Monday, October 16th. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 57 minutes, setting at 6:56, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:00. The Moon, 2 days past new, will set at 7:43 this evening.
In the east at 9 this evening can be found a large square of stars, the Great Square of Pegasus the upside down flying horse. The square is standing on one corner. What looks like its hind legs stretching away from the left corner star is another constellation, Andromeda the chained princess. She is seen in the sky as two nearly horizontal but diverging curved strings of stars that curve upward. She was doomed to be devoured by a sea monster that was ravaging the coast due to her mother, Queen Cassiopeia’s boasting, which angered the god Poseidon. She was rescued by the hero Perseus, a nearby constellation, riding his steed Pegasus.
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
Ephemeris: 09/19/23 – How to find Pegasus in the sky
This is Ephemeris for Tuesday, September 19th. Today the Sun will be up for 12 hours and 20 minutes, setting at 7:46, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:27. The Moon, 3 days before first quarter, will set at 9:39 this evening.
Looking eastward at around 9 pm, one of the great constellations of autumn. A season that will start in four days. It is Pegasus the flying horse of Greek myth. Its most visible feature is a large square of four stars, now standing on one corner. This feature, called the Great Square of Pegasus, represents the front part of the horse’s body. The horse is quite aerobatic, because it is seen flying upside down. Remembering that fact, the neck and head is a bent line of stars emanating from the right corner star of the square. Its front legs can be seen in a gallop extending to the upper right from the top star of the square. From the left star extend, not hind legs but the constellation of Andromeda, the princess rescued with the help of Pegasus.
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.
11/25/2022 – Ephemeris – The Anishinaabe constellations of Mooz and Ajijaak
This is Ephemeris for Native American Heritage Day, Friday, November 25th. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 13 minutes, setting at 5:06, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:54. The Moon, 2 days past new, will set at 6:24 this evening.
The evening sky hosts two more of the constellations of the Anishinaabe native peoples of our area. High in the west, where the official constellation Cygnus the Swan is, or the Northern Cross is: Ajijaak, the Sand Hill Crane is flying upwards to the northeast through the Milky Way, wings outstretched, with its long legs trailing behind. Very high in the southern sky, above Jupiter this year, is the official constellation of Pegasus the flying horse is soaring upside down. His body is the Great Square, is an informal constellation. To the Anishinaabe, it is the Mooz (Moose), who is upright. His magnificent antlers take up the dim official constellation of Lacerta the lizard between Pegasus and Cygnus. Also in the sky is Ojiig the Fisher, our Big Dipper, whose bloody tail swooped down last month to paint the trees with their fall colors.
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
Mooz and Ajijaak finder animation for 8 pm tonight, November 25, 2022. This is looking almost to the zenith, facing southwest. First is the star field only, followed by the IAU (Western) constellation lines for Pegasus, Cygnus and Lacerta, along with their labels, and Jupiter, this year. This is followed by the constellation art. Then the Anishinaabe or Ojibwa constellation lines for Mooz and Ajijaak, Finally the constellation art for these are displayed.
Created using Stellarium and GIMP. Western constellation art by Johan Meuris. Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) art by A. Lee and W. Wilson from Ojibwe Giizhig Anung Masinaaigan – Ojibwe Sky Star Map, and is provided as part of Stellarium.
An animation of Fisher brushing his tail along the horizon on autumn nights. Created using Stellarium and GIMP. Constellation art from Ojibwe Giizhig Anung Masinaaigan – Ojibwe Sky Star Map.
10/24/2022 – Ephemeris – Finding Pisces the fish
This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Monday, October 24th. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 33 minutes, setting at 6:43, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:11. The Moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 8:18 tomorrow morning.
High in the southeast at 9 p.m. are the four bright stars of the Great Square of Pegasus, the upside down flying horse. Lying along the left and bottom sides of the great square is the constellation of Pisces the fish, one of the constellations of the Zodiac that lie along the path of the Sun, Moon and planets. Even though the constellation is called the fish, the fish themselves are not well represented in the stars. What can be traced in the stars is the rope, that’s tied to their tails, anchored at the extreme southeastern part of the constellation. The right or western end of Pisces is the asterism, or informal constellation, of the Circlet. A loop of 5 stars, the rope around the tail of one of the fish, or the fish itself. Jupiter is seen against the stars of Pisces in the evening, the rest of this and early next year.
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
Pisces finder animation looking south-southeast with Jupiter at 9 pm tonight, October 24, 2022. Created using Stellarium and GIMP.
