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Ephemeris: 01/17/2024 – Where have the naked-eye planets wandered off to this week?
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 17th. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 14 minutes, setting at 5:30, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:15. The Moon, at first quarter today, will set at 1:28 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. Saturn and Jupiter are the evening planets. Saturn can be seen moving from low in the southwest to setting in the west-southwest at 8:42 pm. Jupiter, left of the Moon tonight will move from high in the south to set in the west-northwest at 2:05 am. Venus, the brilliant morning star, will rise in the east-southeast at 5:58 am, and be a brilliant beacon in the morning, shining in the southeast before the bright morning twilight claims it around 8 am. Mercury will also be visible below and left of Venus, and should be visible by 7:30 am. Mars is below left of Mercury, but really is too dim to be seen.
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
Ephemeris: 01/10/2024 – Where have the naked-eye planets wandered off to this week?
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 10th. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 2 minutes, setting at 5:21, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:18. The Moon, 1 day before new, will rise at 8:59 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. Mars will rise too close to sunrise to be seen, however. Saturn and Jupiter are the evening planets. Saturn can be seen moving from low in the southwest to setting in the west-southwest at 9:06 pm. Jupiter will be moving from high in the south to the west by midnight and will set at 2:31 am. Venus, the brilliant morning star, will rise in the east-southeast at 5:44 am, and be a brilliant beacon in the morning, shining in the southeast before the bright morning twilight claims it around 8 am. Mercury will also be visible below and left of Venus, and should be visible by 7:30 am.
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
Ephemeris: 01/03/2024 – Where have the naked-eye planets wandered off to this week?
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, January 3rd. The Sun will rise at 8:20. It’ll be up for 8 hours and 54 minutes, setting at 5:14. The Moon, at last quarter today, will rise at 1:04 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. Mars rises too close to sunrise to be seen. Saturn and Jupiter are the only evening planets. Saturn can be seen moving from low in the southwest to setting in the west-southwest at 9:30 pm. Jupiter will be moving from the high in the south-southeast to the west-southwest, by midnight and will set at 2:57 am. The last quarter Moon will be in Virgo tomorrow morning. Venus, the brilliant morning star, will rise in the east-southeast at 5:29 am, and be a brilliant beacon in the morning, shining in the southeast before the bright morning twilight claims it around 8 am. Mercury may be glimpsed below and left of it.
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
Ephemeris: 12/27/2023 – Our last look at the naked-eye planets for 2023
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, December 27th. Today the Sun will be up for 8 hours and 49 minutes, setting at 5:08, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:19. The Moon, 1 day past full, will rise at 5:30 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. Mercury and Mars rise too close to sunrise to be seen. Saturn and Jupiter are the only evening planets. Saturn can be seen moving from low in the southwest to setting in the west-southwest at 9:54 pm. Jupiter will be moving from the high in the southeast to the west-southwest, by midnight and will set at 3:24 am. The Moon, the night after it being full, will be in Gemini tonight, not that any of its stars will be visible, making the sky bright. Venus, the brilliant morning star, will rise in the east-southeast at 4:56, am, and be a brilliant beacon in the morning, shining in the southeast by before the bright morning twilight claims it around 8 am.
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
Ephemeris: 12/25/2023 – This year’s Christmas Stars
Merry Christmas! This is Ephemeris for Christmas Day, Monday, December 25th. Today the Sun will be up for 8 hours and 48 minutes, setting at 5:07, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:18. The Moon, 1 day before full, will set at 8:25 tomorrow morning.
The real star of Bethlehem is probably not what is popularly depicted as a bright star in the sky, rather it was something subtle, only noticed by some astrologers. However, gracing our skies tonight we do have, in the morning and again in the evening, two bright star-like objects. I call them star-like objects because they’re planets. In the morning we have brilliant Venus off in the southeast at 7:30 in the morning, and early in the evening we have bright Jupiter in the south. Jupiter is bright enough that when Venus is not in the sky it is sometimes mistaken for it, although Venus would never be seen in the south* in the evening, it’s always too close to the Sun. Again have a Merry Christmas!
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.
* Except from the North Pole. From there all directions are south.
Addendum
Ephemeris: 12/22/2023 – Jupiter and Venus as the Star of Bethlehem
This is Ephemeris for Friday, December 22nd. Today the Sun will be up for 8 hours and 48 minutes, setting at 5:05, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:17. The Moon, 3 days past first quarter, will set at 4:53 tomorrow morning.
Many writers of the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD place Jesus’ birth around 2 BC, which had to be before Herod the Great’s death, which I suggest was in 1 BC marked by a total lunar eclipse. So the Star of Bethlehem could appear several years later than the triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in 7 BC that’s been popular. In 3 and again in 2 BC there were star-like conjunctions or apparent joining of the planets Jupiter and Venus against the backdrop of the constellation of Leo the Lion. A lion is related to Judah, son of Jacob by a blessing the latter gave his 12 sons in Genesis. The first conjunction occurred in August of 3 BC in the morning sky. On June 16th of the next year the two planets got together again, this time in the evening sky, a month or more after Jesus would have been born in the lambing season of spring.
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
Ephemeris: 12/20/2023 – Where are the naked-eye planets this week?
This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, December 20th. Today the Sun will be up for 8 hours and 48 minutes, setting at 5:04, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:16. The Moon, 1 day past first quarter, will set at 2:21 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 Mercury sets too close to sunset to be seen. And Mars rises too close to sunrise. Saturn and Jupiter are the only evening planets visible. Saturn can be seen moving from low in the south-southwest to setting in the west-southwest at 10:19 pm. Jupiter will be moving from the high in the southeast to the west-southwest, and will be up most of the night until 3:53 am. The slightly waxing gibbous Moon will be seen to the right of Jupiter tonight. Venus, the brilliant morning star, will rise in the east-southeast at 4:56, am, and be a brilliant beacon in the morning, shining in the southeast by 7 am.
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
Ephemeris: 12/13/2023 – Where are the naked eye planets this week?
This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, December 13th. Today the Sun will be up for 8 hours and 50 minutes, setting at 5:02, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:12. The Moon, 1 day past new, will set at 5:22 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 Mercury sets too close to sunset to be seen. And Mars rises too close to sunrise. Saturn and Jupiter are the only evening planets visible. Saturn can be seen moving from low in the south-southwest to setting in the west-southwest at 10:44 pm. Jupiter will be moving from the high in the southeast to southwest, and will be up most of the night until 4:22 am. Venus, the brilliant morning star, will rise in the east-southeast at 4:40 am, and be a brilliant beacon in the morning, shining in the southeast by 7 am. Tonight is the first of two nights when the Geminid meteor shower will be at its peak.
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
Ephemeris: 12/06/2023 – Our weekly look at the naked-eye planets
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, December 6th. Today the Sun will be up for 8 hours and 57 minutes, setting at 5:02, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:06. The Moon, 1 day past last quarter, will rise at 2:15 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 Mercury sets too close to sunset to be seen. Mars rises too close to sunrise. Saturn and Jupiter are the only evening planets visible. Saturn can be seen moving from the south-southwest to setting in the west-southwest at 11:12 pm. Jupiter will be moving from the southeast to southwest and will be much higher in the sky during the evening hours than Saturn is, and will be up most of the night until 4:56 am. Venus, the brilliant morning star, will rise in the east-southeast at 4:22 am, and be a brilliant beacon in the morning. It will be far below and left of the fat crescent Moon.
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.
Ephemeris: 11/29/2023 – Where are the naked-eye planets this week?
This is Ephemeris for Wednesday, November 29th. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 7 minutes, setting at 5:04, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:58. The Moon, 2 days past full, will rise at 6:42 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 Mercury sets too close to sunset to be seen, and Mars rises too close to sunrise. Saturn and Jupiter are the only evening planets visible. Saturn can be seen moving from the south-southwest to setting in the west-southwest in the evening. Ringed planet will be setting at 11:34 pm. Jupiter will be moving from the east-southeast to southwest and will be much higher in the sky during the evening hours than Saturn is, and will be up most of the night until 5:22 am. Venus, the brilliant morning star, will rise in the east-northeast at 4:09 am, and be a brilliant beacon in the morning.
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
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