01/09/2023 – Ephemeris – The Summer Triangle is still with us in the early evening

This is Ephemeris for Monday, January 9th. Today the Sun will be up for 9 hours and 1 minute, setting at 5:21, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:18. The Moon, 3 days past full, will rise at 7:56 this evening.

The bright Moon is now slowly leaving the evening sky tonight, giving us nearly an hour of dark skies after 7 pm. At 7pm, Orion is holding forth in the east-southeast. At that time, also, the Summer Triangle is still in the sky, west and northwest. The Northern Cross, which is also the constellation of Cygnus the swan, is standing upright in the west northwestern sky. Its top star Deneb, dimmest of the three Summer Triangle stars, will not set for observers north of Traverse City, though it will take a flat northern horizon and exceptionally clear skies to spot it at its lowest in the north. Altair, the southernmost of the triangle stars will set first in the west at 7:57 pm, Vega, the brightest will set in the northwest at 9:41 pm.

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

Addendum

The setting Summer Triangle and Northern Cross in the west and northwestern sky at 7 pm tonight, January 9th.