02/18/2015 – Ephemeris – Wednesday is bright planet day (or night) on Ephemeris

Ephemeris for Ash Wednesday, Wednesday, February 18th.  The sun will rise at 7:38.  It’ll be up for 10 hours and 36 minutes, setting at 6:15.  The moon is new today, and won’t be visible.

Lets take a look at the bright planets and a fading binocular comet for this week.  Brilliant Venus is in the west-southwest by 7 p.m. It will set at 8:37 p.m.  It’s nearing Mars which appears above and left of it.  They will be at their closest on the 22nd.  The Red Planet will set tonight at 8:45 p.m.  Jupiter will appear In the southeastern sky in the evening.  It will be up all night, and will set at 7:14 a.m.  It’s near the sickle-shaped head of Leo the lion, and it’s the brightest star-like object in the sky.  Early risers will be able to spot Saturn which will rise in the east-southeast at 2:15 a.m.   Comet Lovejoy, visible in binoculars, is about half way from the star at the end of Andromeda, called Almaak and the “W” of Cassiopeia.

Times are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan.  They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Venus and Mars low in the west after sunset. This is 7 p.m., February 18, 2015. Created using Stellarium.

Venus, Mars and the moon on Friday night at 7 p.m. (2/20/15). Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter with the winter constellations at 9 p.m., February 18, 2015. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter and it’s moons at 9 p.m. February 18, 2015. Note that at this time the Great Red Spot is on the face if Jupiter. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).

The track of Comet 2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) from 2/18/15 to 02/24/15 which will appear high in the west at 9 p.m. On the 20th the comet will pass near M76, a 10th magnitude planetary nebula. It will be much dimmer than the comet. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).

Looking southward at 6 a.m. February 19, 2015 to a preview of the constellations of summer with Saturn in the south and Jupiter setting in the west.  Click to enlarge.

What Saturn and its moons might appear like in a telescope at 6 a.m., February 19, 2015. Small telescopes will show only the moon Titan. Created using Cartes du Ceil (Sky Charts).