11/09/2022 – Ephemeris – Let’s see where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week

This is Bob Moler with Ephemeris for Wednesday, November 9th. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 49 minutes, setting at 5:21, and it will rise tomorrow at 7:33. The Moon, 1 day past full, will rise at 5:57 this evening.

Let’s see where the naked-eye planets have wandered off to this week. Jupiter and Saturn will be visible this evening, in the southeastern sky, as soon after sunset as it will be dark enough to see them, which would be by 6:30 pm, now that we’re back on standard time. Jupiter is the brighter of the two to the left, in the southeast, while dimmer Saturn is in the south. The red planet Mars, though a morning planet, will rise tonight at 7:13 pm in the east-northeast. It’s located between the tips of the long horns of Taurus the bull. Those stars may be hard to spot with the bright Moon nearby. Mars is beginning to move westward in its retrograde motion as the Earth is beginning to pass it. Which it will do in a month’s time.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT – 5 hours). They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Planets and the Moon visible at 8 pm this evening. Jupiter and Saturn in the south with Mars, rising in the east-northeast. Mars is not yet an evening planet. It’s a month away from rising before sunset and becoming one. Created using Stellarium.

Annotated waning Gibbous Moon Animation for tonight, November 9, 2022, as it might look like in binoculars or a small telescope. Created using Stellarium, LibreOffice Draw and GIMP.

Translations of some lunar feature names according to Virtual Moon Atlas

Mare Crisium – Sea of Crises
Mare Frigoris – Sea of Cold
Mare Humorum – Sea of Moisture
Mare Imbrium – Sea of Showers
Mare Nubium – Sea of Clouds
Mare Serenitatis – Sea of Serenity
Mare Tranquillitatis – Sea of Tranquility
Mare Vaporum – Sea of Vapors
Montes Alpes – Alps Mountains
Montes Apenninus – Apennines Mountains
Oceanus Procellarum – Ocean of Storms
Sinus Asperitatis – Golfe des Asperites
Sinus Iridium – Bay of Rainbows
Sinus Medii – Central Bay

Craters are generally named after astronomers, people of science, or explorers

Note that Mare is pronounced Mar-é

Telescopic views of Saturn Jupiter and Mars (north up) as they would be seen in a small telescope, with the same magnification. The image of Mars doesn’t show it, but the white north polar cap will appear at the top or north limb of Mars. The planets are shown at 10 pm. Apparent diameters: Saturn 17.00″, its rings 39.60″; Jupiter 46.50″; Mars 16.04″. Mars’ distance is 54.3 million miles (87.4 million kilometers). The ” symbol means seconds of arc (1/3600th of a degree.) Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts).

A note on Jupiter’s moon Ganymede: It will end its transit of the face of Jupiter at 10:04 pm.

The naked-eye planets and the Moon at sunset and sunrise on a single night, starting with sunset on the right on November 9, 2022. The night ends on the left with sunrise on the 10th. Click on the image to enlarge it. Created using my LookingUp app and GIMP.