09/09/2021 – Ephemeris – The constellation of Cassiopeia the Queen

This is Ephemeris for Thursday, September 9th. Today the Sun will be up for 12 hours and 49 minutes, setting at 8:04, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:16. The Moon, 3 days past new, will set at 9:40 this evening.

Tonight, check out the crescent Moon, with Venus below left of it. Cassiopeia is a constellation shaped like the letter W seen in the northeast these evenings. In Greek mythology, she was the queen of Ethiopia. She was very beautiful and very boastful of that fact. She even compared her beauty with that of the sea nymphs, daughters of the sea god Poseidon. Papa was not amused. So Cassiopeia’s daughter, the Princess Andromeda, was made to suffer for it. Poseidon sent a sea monster, Cetus, to ravage the coastal cities of the country. The only way to stop it was to sacrifice Andromeda to the monster. Andromeda and Cetus are constellations we’ll meet in the coming weeks. We’ve already met Pegasus, the flying horse, rising in the east. And we are yet to meet the hero, Perseus.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT – 4 hr). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Venus and the Moon in evening twilight, about a half hour after sunset tonight, September 9, 2021. Created using Stellarium.

Cassiopeia finder animation looking northeast in mid-September, an hour and a half after sunset. Created using Stellarium.