05/05/2021 – Ephemeris – Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week

This is Ephemeris for Cinco de Mayo, Wednesday, May 5th. Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 26 minutes, setting at 8:53, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:25. The Moon, 2 days past last quarter, will rise at 4:44 tomorrow morning.

Let’s search for the naked-eye planets for this week. Mars will be joined by one or two more planets, deep in twilight. Both Mercury and Venus are now just above where the Sun set. By 9:30 pm Mercury should be able to be spotted low in the west-northwest. Venus might be spotted lower and somewhat earlier. Venus will be setting at 9:46 and Mercury at 10:33. Mars can be found in the west at 10 pm tonight, in the constellation of Gemini the twins. Tonight it’s just by Castor’s leg. Mars will set at 1:11 am. Jupiter and Saturn, are in the morning sky. Saturn will rise at 2:57 am, with brighter Jupiter rising at 3:38 am. By 5:30 am they will be low in the southeast. The Eta Aquariid meteor shower will reach it’s peak early tomorrow morning.

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

Addendum

Mercury and Venus low in the west-northwest at 9:30 pm May 5, 2021, about 40 minutes after sunset, over a Lake Michigan horizon. Created using Stellarium.

Mars at about 10:30 pm tonight, May 5, 2021. Created using Stellarium.

Jupiter and Saturn low in the southeast at 5:30 am tomorrow, May 6, 2021. Created using Stellarium.

The Moon as it might appear tomorrow morning May 6, 2021, in binoculars or a small telescope. Created using Stellarium.

Saturn and Jupiter as seen in a small telescope at the same magnification. Apparent diameters: Saturn, 16.82″, rings, 39.17″; Jupiter, 37.90″. Mars is too far away to make out detail on its surface, except maybe a polar cap. Its apparent diameter is 4.50″. Venus’ apparent diameter is 9.88″ and will be added next week. Mercury’s apparent diameter is 6.2″. The cutoff for whether to show a planet here is an apparent diameter of 10″ or greater. The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree). 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 May 5, 2021. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 6th. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using my LookingUp program.