06/03/2015 – Ephemeris – The visible bright planets are hanging on in the evening

Ephemeris for Wednesday, June 3rd. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 23 minutes, setting at 9:22. The Moon, 1 day past full, will rise at 10:15 this evening and tomorrow the Sun will rise at 5:59.

Lets take a look at the bright planets for this week. Our brilliant evening star Venus is in the west by 9:45 p.m. It will set at 12:40 a.m. As Venus is reaching its greatest eastern elongation or separation from the Sun it is now setting earlier. Venus apparent orbit of the Sun is also tilting to a lower angle with the horizon, since though east, it is now south of the Sun. Jupiter will appear high in the west-southwestern sky about 10 p.m. It will set at 1:23 a.m. It’s near the sickle-shaped head of Leo the lion, and it’s the second brightest star-like object in the sky after Venus, which is approaching it. Saturn is in the southeast as evening twilight fades. It will set at 5:37 a.m. in the southwest.

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

Addendum

The evening planets and bright stars, including the Moon, at 10:30 p.m. June 3, 2015. Created using Stellarium.   Click on Image to enlarge.

Comparison of the apparent sizes and satellite locations of the bright planets and the Moon at 10:30 p.m. June 3, 2015. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts) and GIMP.

Jupiter’s satellites Io and Ganymede have a busy night tonight

Satellite  Event           UT            EDT
Ganymede   Transit Start   June 4  0:17  June 3  8:17 p.m. 
Io         Transit Start   June 4  2:46  June 3 10:46 p.m.
Io         Shadow Start    June 4  3:56  June 3 11:56 p.m.
Ganymede   Transit End     June 4  3:56  June 3 11:56 p.m.
Ganymede   Shadow Start    June 4  4:57  June 4 12:57 a.m.
Io         Transit End     June 4  5:04  June 4  1:04 a.m.
Io         Shadow End      June 4  6:13  *
Ganymede   Shadow End      June 4  8:35  *

* Not visible from the Traverse City/Interlochen are, Jupiter has set.

Satellite data was taken from www.projectpluto.com/jevent.htm