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Ephemeris: 10/23/2023 – Venus is at its greatest separation from the Sun in the morning
This is Ephemeris for Monday, October 23rd. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 36 minutes, setting at 6:45, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:09. The Moon, 2 days past first quarter, will set at 2:36 tomorrow morning.
Our brilliant morning planet Venus will reach its greatest apparent angle from the Sun later today. It’s called the greatest western elongation because it’s west of the Sun and rises before the Sun. From now until its superior conjunction next year, on June 4th. It will move closer and closer to the Sun from our vantage point. But it’s just moving around behind the Sun. The Mayans at the peak of their civilization were diligent observers of Venus. They found the Venus cycle, what we would call synodic period of Venus of 584 days, from the heliacal rising of Venus, its first appearance in the morning sky after disappearing in the evening, to the next heliacal rising. Venus would reach its greatest elongation from the Sun about 66 days after its heliacal rising.
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: 10/18/2023 – Where have the naked-eye planets wandered off to this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, October 18th. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 51 minutes, setting at 6:53, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:03. The Moon, 3 days before first quarter, will set at 8:50 this evening.
Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week. Three of those five planets are now visible, but Mars sets too close to sunset to be seen, and Mercury rises too close to sunrise, and besides it will enter the evening sky after Friday. Saturn is the sole official evening planet visible. It can be spotted in the southeast to south in the evening. And it will still be visible in the morning hours until it sets at 3:17 am. Saturn is seen against the stars of Aquarius this year and next. Jupiter and Venus are the visible morning planets. Jupiter, still a morning planet, will rise at 7:34 pm. It’s in Aries this year. Jupiter has to rise before sunset to be an evening planet. Venus, the brilliant morning star, will rise in the east-northeast at 4:02 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
Ephemeris: 10/11/2023 – Where have the naked-eye planets wandered off to this week?
This is Ephemeris for International Day of the Girl, Wednesday, October 11th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 12 minutes, setting at 7:05, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:54. The Moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 5:35 tomorrow morning.
Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week. Three of those five planets are now visible, but Mars sets too close to sunset to be seen, and Mercury rises too close to sunrise. Saturn is the sole official evening planet visible. It can be spotted in the southeast in the evening. And it will still be visible in the morning hours until it sets at 3:46 am. Saturn is seen against the stars of Aquarius this year and next. Jupiter and Venus are the visible morning planets. Jupiter, still a morning planet, will rise at 8:04 pm. It’s in Ares this year. It has to rise before sunset to be an official evening planet. Venus, the brilliant morning star, will rise in the east-northeast at 3:57 am, and be seen in the east thereafter.
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: 10/04/2023 – Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, October 4th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 33 minutes, setting at 7:18, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:45. The Moon, 2 days before last quarter, will rise at 10:18 this evening.
Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week. Three of those five planets are now visible, but Mars sets too close to sunset to be seen, and Mercury rises too late. Saturn is the sole evening planet visible. It can be spotted in the southeast in the evening. And it will still be visible most of the morning hours morning until it sets at 4:15 am. Saturn is in retrograde or westward motion now, against the stars of Aquarius, and will continue to do so until November 5th. Jupiter and Venus are the visible morning planets. Jupiter, in Aries, will rise at 8:29 pm. It, like Saturn is in retrograde, which will last the rest of this year. Venus is our brilliant morning star which will rise in the east-northeast at 3:56 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
Ephemeris: 09/27/2023 – Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week
This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 27th. Today the Sun will be up for 11 hours and 55 minutes, setting at 7:31, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:36. The Moon, 2 days before full, will set at 6:22 tomorrow morning.
Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week. Four of those five planets are now visible, but Mars is too close to the Sun to be seen. Saturn is the sole evening planet visible. It can be spotted in the southeast in the evening. And it will still be visible throughout the morning hours until it sets at 4:44 am. Saturn is in retrograde or westward motion now, against the stars of Aquarius. Jupiter, Venus and Mercury are the morning planets. Jupiter will rise at 9:02 pm. It, like Saturn is moving retrograde, which will last the rest of this year. Venus is our brilliant morning star, at its brightest, and will rise in the east-northeast at 3:59 am. Tiny Mercury will rise at 6:10 am, and be visible in the east by around 6:30.
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: 09/20/2023 – Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 20th. Today the Sun will be up for 12 hours and 17 minutes, setting at 7:44, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:28. The Moon, 2 days before first quarter, will set at 10:10 this evening.
Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to. Four of those five planets are now visible, but Mars is too close to the Sun to be seen. Saturn is the sole evening planet visible. It can be spotted in the southeast in the evening. And it will still be visible throughout the morning hours until it sets at 5:15 am. Saturn is in retrograde or westward motion now, against the stars of Aquarius. Jupiter, Venus and Mercury are the morning planets. Jupiter will rise at 9:35 pm. It is a week into its retrograde motion, which will last the rest of this year. Venus is our brilliant morning star, at its brightest, and will rise in the east-northeast at 4:07 am. Tiny Mercury will have risen by 6 am, and be visible in the east by around 6:30.
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: 09/06/2023 – Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets and comet Nishimura have wandered off to
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, September 6th. Today the Sun will be up for 12 hours and 59 minutes, setting at 8:10, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:12. The Moon, at last quarter today, will rise at 11:40 this evening.
Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to. Three of those five planets are now visible but Mars and Mercury are too close to the Sun to be seen. Saturn is the sole evening planet visible. Jupiter and Venus are officially the only visible morning planets. Saturn can be spotted in the southeast in the evening. And it will still be visible throughout the morning hours morning until twilight starts. Saturn is in retrograde or westward motion against the stars of Aquarius. Jupiter will rise at 10:54pm. It is slowing its eastward motion and will become stationary tomorrow. Venus is our brilliant morning star. It will rise at 4:43 tomorrow morning. Comet Nishimura is left and a bit below Venus in the east-northeast.
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: 08/30/2023 – Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets are
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, August 30th. Today the Sun will be up for 13 hours and 20 minutes, setting at 8:23, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:03. The Moon, is the full Blue Moon today, and it will rise at 8:39 this evening. No, it’s not really blue in color. The Blue Moon is the second full moon in a particular month.
Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets are. Three of those five planets are now visible. Mars and Mercury are too close to the Sun to be seen. Saturn is the sole evening planet visible. Jupiter and Venus are officially the only visible morning planets. Saturn can be spotted in the southeast in the evening. And it will still be visible throughout the morning hours until just before sunrise. Tonight Saturn will appear above and right of the full moon, though it might be difficult to spot in the Moon’s glare. Saturn is in retrograde or westward motion now, against the stars of Aquarius. Jupiter will rise at 10:54pm. It is slowing its eastward motion and will become stationary on September 7th. Venus is making an appearance in the morning sky now as our brilliant morning star. It will rise at 5:13 tomorrow morning.
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
The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on August 30, 2023. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 31st. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp app and GIMP.
Ephemeris: 08/23/2023 – Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, August 23rd. Today the Sun will be up for 13 hours and 41 minutes, setting at 8:35, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:55. The Moon, 1 day before first quarter, will set at 11:36 this evening.
Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week. Three of the five planets are now visible. Mars and Mercury are too close to the Sun to be seen. Jupiter, Saturn and Venus are all officially morning planets now, although Saturn does rise in the evening shortly after sunset. It will become an evening planet in four days, when it will rise at sunset. It can be spotted in the southeast in the evening. And it will still be visible throughout the morning hours. Saturn is in retrograde or westward motion now, against the stars of Aquarius. Jupiter will rise at 11:21pm. Venus is making an appearance in the morning sky now. It will rise at 5:53 tomorrow morning in the east.
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
Finding Saturn in the evening for tonight at 10 pm, August 23, 2023. The unlabeled partial constellation on the left is part of Pisces, and the five stars in a circle is an asterism (informal constellation) called the Circlet. Another asterism is composed of the four stars in a small triangle with another in the center, above and a bit left of the Aquarius label is the Water Jar with water streaming from it to the right. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using Stellarium and GIMP.
The morning planets at 6:10 am tomorrow morning, August 24, 3023, after Venus rises, with the bright stars of winter slowly disappearing in the advancing morning twilight. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using Stellarium and GIMP.
Telescopic Saturn, Jupiter and Venus (north up) as they would be seen in a small telescope, with the same magnification at 10 pm August 23, 2023, for Saturn and 6:10 am August 24, 2023, for Jupiter and Venus. Apparent diameters: Saturn 18.96″, its rings 44.17″; Jupiter 42.90″; and Venus 54.66″ and is 5.0% illuminated. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. 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 August 23, 2023. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 24th. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp app and GIMP.
Ephemeris: 08/16/2023 – Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, August 16th. Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 1 minute, setting at 8:47, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:47. The Moon is new today, and won’t be visible.
Let’s find out where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week. Only two of these five planets are visible. Mars, Mercury and Venus are all too close to the Sun to be seen. Jupiter and Saturn are officially morning planets, although Saturn does rise in the evening shortly after sunset. It will become an evening planet on the 27th, when it will rise at sunset. It can be spotted in the southeastern part pf the sky in the evening. It will also be visible throughout the morning hours. Saturn is in retrograde or westward motion against the stars of Aquarius now. Jupiter, still moving slowly eastward against the stars of Aries the ram, also rises in the evening, but barely, rising just before midnight. It will be stationary, that is, it will stop its eastward motion against the stars, and will begin its retrograde or westward motion on September 7th.
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
Saturn can be seen low in the east-southeast around 10 pm, or an hour or so after sunset. Created using Stellarium.
Morning planets and the winter stars are still visible about 45 minutes before sunrise. In the Interlochen/Traverse City Area, that would be about 5:45 am. Large images can be truncated on the right. Click or tap on the image to enlarge and display the complete image. Created using Stellarium.
Telescopic Saturn and Jupiter (north up) as they would be seen in a small telescope, with the same magnification, Saturn at 11 pm, tonight, August 16, 2023, and Jupiter at 5:45 am on the 17th. Apparent diameters: Saturn 18.93″, its rings 44.10″; Jupiter 41.94″. Saturn and Jupiter are approaching us, so their apparent diameters are growing. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree). Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. 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 August 16, 2023. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 17th. Click or tap on the image to enlarge and display the complete image. Created using my LookingUp app and GIMP.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 