Archive
10/02/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets and one dim comet?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, October 2nd. The sun will rise at 7:41. It’ll be up for 11 hours and 38 minutes, setting at 7:20. The moon, 2 days before new, will rise at 6:14 tomorrow morning.
Time again to check out the bright planets. Saturn and Venus will be at the same height above the west southwestern horizon. Dimmer Saturn will be to the right of Venus by one and a half widths of a fist held at arm’s length. Binoculars may be needed to Saturn. Saturn will set at 8:40, while Venus will set at 8:56 p.m.. We are losing Saturn in the sun’s glare for a few months. The rest of the planetary action will be in the morning sky. The giant planet Jupiter will rise at 12:36 a.m. in the east northeast. It’s cruising against the stars of Gemini this viewing season. By 6 a.m it will be high in the southeast, the brightest object in that direction. Mars will rise at 3:30 a.m. also in the east northeast. It’s in the east at 6 a.m.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Venus and Saturn low on the west southwestern horizon along with Saturn at 8:15 p.m. on October 2, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
I was out at the Lanphier Observatory of the Leelanau School in Glen Arbor Michigan Monday evening about this time, to show Venus to the audience for Andrea Wulf’s talk about some of her book Chasing Venus. If the book is like her talk, it should be fabulous. It’s about the 18th century expeditions of many nation to view a pair of transits of Venus in order to determine the size of the solar system. Anyway the sky was like this with Venus setting over the low Sleeping Bear Dunes across Sleeping Bear Bay.
Jupiter, Mars with the winter stars and constellations at 6 a.m. on October 3, 2012. Created using Stellarium.
The tracks of Mars and Comet ISON at 6 a.m. from October 3 to 9, 2013. The comet may still be too faint to view in binoculars. Chart created using Cartes duCiel.
The yellow line is the ecliptic. The blue line is the constellations lines for Leo. Comet ISON positions are blue dots. It’s too far away for the software to show a tail.
09/25/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 25th. The sun will rise at 7:33. It’ll be up for 12 hours, setting at 7:33. The moon, 1 day before last quarter, will rise at 11:26 this evening.
Time again to check out the bright planets. Saturn and Venus will be at the same height above the west southwestern horizon. Dimmer Saturn will be to the right of Venus by nearly the width of a fist held at arm’s length. Binoculars may be needed to spot it. Venus will set at 9:04 p.m., while Saturn will set at 9:06. We will soon lose Saturn in the sun’s glare for a few months. The rest of the planetary action will be in the morning sky. The giant planet Jupiter will rise at 12:59 a.m. in the east northeast. It’s cruising against the stars of Gemini this viewing season. By 6 a.m it will be high in the east southeast, the brightest object in that direction. Mars will rise at 3:34 a.m. also in the east northeast. It’s in the east at 6 a.m.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Venus and Saturn at 8:30 p.m. on September 25, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and Mars against the winter constellations at 6 a.m., September 26, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Detail of the Moon at 6 a,m. on September 26, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
09/18/2013 – Ephemeris – Saturn and Venus appear closest tonight and the rest of the bright planets
Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 18th. The sun will rise at 7:25. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 21 minutes, setting at 7:46. The moon, 1 day before full, will set at 7:38 tomorrow morning.
Time again to check out the bright planets. Saturn and Venus will be closest together tonight, low in the southwest after sunset. Dimmer Saturn will be on top. Binoculars may be needed to spot it. Venus will set at 9:13 p.m., while Saturn will set at 9:32. We will soon lose Saturn in the sun’s glare for a few months. The rest of the planetary action will be in the morning sky. The giant planet Jupiter will rise at 1:22 a.m. in the east northeast. It’s cruising against the stars of Gemini this viewing season. By 6 a.m it will be high in the east southeast, the brightest object in that direction. Mars will rise at 3:39 a.m. also in then east northeast. It is a bright reddish second magnitude star passing through Cancer now.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Venus and Saturn at 8:30 p.m. on September 18, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and Mars against the constellations of Winter at 6 a.m. on September 18, 2013
09/13/2013 – Ephemeris – Star party this weekend
Ephemeris for Friday, September 13th. The sun will rise at 7:19. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 37 minutes, setting at 7:56. The moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 1:41 tomorrow morning.
Saturday evening from 9 to 11 p.m. The Grand Traverse Astronomical Society will be out at Northwestern Michigan College’s Rogers Observatory on Birmley Road, south of Traverse City for a Star Party. There will be a glimpse of Venus and Saturn at the beginning of the evening. The moon will be a great sight in telescopes. The society’s CCD camera can show the detail on the moon so actual formations can be pointed out. The CCD camera was purchased by the society to allow the handicapped and folks afraid of ladders to view some of the heavenly objects from terra firma. Other telescopes will allow a direct view of the moon. Some of the brighter objects beyond the solar system, we call them deep sky objects, can also be viewed if it’s clear.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The moon at 9 p.m. September 14, 2013. We’ll take you on a tour Saturday night, Created using Virtual Lunar Atlas.
09/11/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are all the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 11th. The sun will rise at 7:16. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 43 minutes, setting at 8:00. The moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 11:39 this evening.
Lets see what bright planets are out this week. Venus is now brilliant low in the west southwestern sky in evening twilight. It will set at 9:24 p.m. Saturn is about 8 degrees above and to the left of Venus. That’s a bit less that the width of a fist held at arm’s length. It has a date with Venus on the 18th. Saturn will set at 9:58 p.m. After midnight Jupiter will rise at 1:45 a.m. in the east northeast. Jupiter is seen among the stars of Gemini this year. The red planet Mars will rise at 3:43 a.m. Currently it is moving rapidly eastward through Cancer. At about 6 a.m. Jupiter will be the brightest star-like object in the east, with Mars visible below and left by two and a half widths of your fist held at arm’s length.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Saturn and Venus at 9 p.m. September 11, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and Mars with a preview of the winter constellations at 6 a.m. September 12, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
09/09/2012 – Ephemeris – The planets and the Moon in the evening
Ephemeris for Monday, September 9th. The sun will rise at 7:14. It’ll be up for 12 hours and 49 minutes, setting at 8:03. The moon, 3 days before first quarter, will set at 10:06 this evening.
The Moon will pass Saturn around noon today. By 9 p.m. the Moon will have scooted to the left of Saturn by 10 of its widths or half the width of your fist held at arm’s length. We are getting to the point that Saturn’s image is being seriously degraded in telescopes because the planet is so close to the horizon and we are looking at it through the very thick atmosphere. The Moon however is getting better each night and it moves higher each night. In binoculars the young Moon will reveal two dark seas. Above is the distinctive Sea of Crises, and below the Sea of Fertility. The Sea of Tranquility is partially illuminated, now cut by the Moon’s terminator or sunrise line. Telescopes will reveal interesting features near there.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
The Moon, Saturn and Venus at 9 p.m. on September 9, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
The Moon as seen at 9 p.m. September 9, 2013. Rotated the approximate extent for its appearance in the sky. Created using Virtual Moon Atlas.
09/04/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 4th. The sun will rise at 7:08. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 4 minutes, setting at 8:13. The moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 7:23 tomorrow morning.
Lets check out the planets visible now. Venus is now brilliant low in the western sky in evening twilight. Tonight the bright blue star Spica will appear below and left of Venus, It may take binoculars to spot the much dimmer star in twilight. Venus will set at 9:35 p.m. Holding forth in the west southwest will be Saturn this evening. It has a date with Venus on the 18th. Saturn will set at 10:24 p.m. In the morning sky Jupiter will rise at 2:07 in the east northeast. Starting mid October it will rise before midnight. The red planet Mars will rise at 3:48 a.m. At about 6 a.m. Jupiter will be the brightest star-like object in the east, with Mars visible below and left by two widths of your fist held at arm’s length.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Venus and Saturn low in the west southwest at 9 p.m. on September 4, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter, Mars and a preview of the winter constellations at 6n a.m. on September 5, 2013.
08/28/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, August 28th. The sun will rise at 7:00. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 25 minutes, setting at 8:25. The moon, at last quarter today, will rise at 12:45 tomorrow morning.
Lets check out the planets visible now. Venus is now brilliant low in the western sky in evening twilight, It will set at 9:47 p.m. Holding forth in the west southwest will be Saturn this evening, the brightest star-like object in the constellation Virgo appearing yellowish. Venus is gaining on it and will cross paths on September 18th. Saturn will set at 10:50 p.m. In the morning sky before twilight starts Jupiter will rise at 2:29 in the east northeast, with Mars rising later at 3:52. At about 5 a.m. Jupiter will be the brightest star-like object in the east northeast, with Mars barely visible below and left by a bit less than two widths of your fist held at arm’s length. Castor and Pollux of Gemini point down to it.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Venus and Saturn at 9:15 p.m. August 28, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter, Mars and the Moon at 6 a.m. on August 29, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
The actual phase of the Moon at 6 a.m. on August 29, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
08/21/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, August 21st. The sun rises at 6:52. It’ll be up for 13 hours and 45 minutes, setting at 8:37. The moon, 1 day past full, will rise at 8:40 this evening.
Lets check out the planets visible now. Venus is now brilliant low in the western sky in evening twilight, It will set at 9:59 p.m. Holding forth in the west southwest will be Saturn this evening, the brightest star-like object in the constellation Virgo appearing yellowish to the left and above the extremely blue-white star Spica. It will set at 11:17 p.m. In the morning sky before twilight starts Jupiter will rise at 2:50 in the east northeast, with Mars rising a bit more than an hour later at 3:56. At about 5 a.m. Jupiter will be the brightest star-like object in the east northeast, with Mars barely visible below and left by about one and a half the width of your fist held at arm’s length. Castor and Pollux of Gemini point down to it.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Venus and Saturn at 9:30 p.m. on August 21, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Jupiter and Mars with the rising winter constellations at 5:30 a.m. on August 22, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
08/07/2013 – Ephemeris – Where are the bright planets this week?
Ephemeris for Wednesday, August 7th. The sun rises at 6:36. It’ll be up for 14 hours and 23 minutes, setting at 8:59. The moon, 1 day past new, will set at 9:00 this evening.
Lets check out the planets visible now. Venus is now brilliant low in the western sky in evening twilight, It will set at 10:23 p.m. Holding forth in the southwest will be Saturn this evening, the brightest star-like object in the constellation Virgo appearing yellowish to the left of the extremely blue-white star Spica. It will set at 12:14 tomorrow morning. In the morning sky before sunrise Jupiter will rise at 3:33, with Mars rising shortly after at 4:06, which will appear below and left of Jupiter by four and a half degrees or half the width of your fist held at arm’s length. Mercury will rise at 5:12 a.m. tomorrow. It will nearly two widths of your fist below and left of Jupiter. For sharp-eyed observers we have 5 planets visible now.
Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Venus and Saturn at 10 p.m. on August 7, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
Morning planets and stars at 5:30 a.m. on August 8, 2013. Created using Stellarium.
