07/17/2019 – Ephemeris – Only two bright planets are visible

Ephemeris for Wednesday, July 17th. Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 11 minutes, setting at 9:24, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:14. The Moon, 1 day past full, will rise at 10:10 this evening.

Let’s look at the planets for this Apollo 11 anniversary week. Both Mercury and Mars are too close to the Sun to be seen. They’re still on the evening or east side of the Sun. Venus is on the west or morning side of the Sun and also too close to it to be visible. Bright Jupiter will be in the south-southeastern as it gets dark. It will pass the meridian, due south at 10:57 p.m. With steadily held binoculars a few of the 4 largest satellites of Jupiter can be seen. All four of Jupiter’s largest satellites can be spotted in telescopes. Jupiter will set at 3:29 a.m. Saturn will be lower down in the southeast in the evening, the brightest star-like object in that direction, but significantly dimmer than Jupiter.

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

Addendum

The evening planets and the Moon at 10:30 p.m. July 17, 2019. Click on the image to enlarge.  Created using Stellarium.

The Moon as it might appear in binoculars or a small telescope at 11 p.m. July Created using Stellarium.Stellarium.

Jupiter and Saturn with the same magnification at 11p.m. July 17, 2019. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).

Planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise of a single night starting with sunset on the right on July 17, 2019. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 18th. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using my LookingUp program.

Mercury is not visible on the above chart.  It will pass inferior conjunction of the Sun on the 21st, and is too far south of the Sun to be above the horizon at either sunrise or sunset.