Mercury is making its best appearance of the of year during the next several evenings. Tonight it appears to the lower right of the Aldebaran and the Pleiades. It is two evenings before its greatest separation from the sun, setting nearly 2 hours after sunset. This image was made this evening at 8:30 p.m. CDT … Continue reading 2016, April 16: Mercury in Western Sky
Tag: astronomy
2016: Mercury’s Best Appearance This Year
Elusive Planet Mercury makes an appearance in the western evening sky during early spring 2016, its best evening appearance of the year. On the evening of April 18 it sets nearly two hours after the sun. The chart above shows Mercury about 1 hour after sunset as seen from the Chicago area. On this evening … Continue reading 2016: Mercury’s Best Appearance This Year
2016: Jupiter at Opposition, March 8
Jupiter is at opposition today (March 8). It rises in the east at sunset; appears in the south at midnight; and shines from the west at sunrise. Today our planet is between Jupiter and the sun, so they are on opposite sides of our planet and appear in opposite positions in the sky -- opposition. … Continue reading 2016: Jupiter at Opposition, March 8
2016: Venus and Moon, March 7
As brilliant Venus slowly fades into the sun's brilliance, the moon passes close by on the morning of March 7. Venus now rises less than an hour before sunrise, appearing low in the southeast as the morning sky brightens. The moon stands 3 degrees to the upper left of Venus. Find a viewing spot with a clear … Continue reading 2016: Venus and Moon, March 7
2016: Leap Day
SOLSTICES AND EQUINOXES Equinox Solstice Equinox Solstice Year Date Time Date Time Date Time Date Time (UT) (UT) (UT) (UT) d h m d h m d h m d h m 2016 3/20/2016 - 4:30 6/20/2016 -22:34 9/22/2016 -14:21 12/21/2016-10:44 2017 3/20/2016 - 10:29 6/21/2016 - 4:24 9/22/2016-20:02 12/21/2016-16:28 2018 3/20/2016 - 16:15 6/21/2016 … Continue reading 2016: Leap Day
2016-2017: Venus, Evening Star
This appearance of Venus has ended. During its evening appearance in 2015, Venus appeared near bright stars and planets. After a spectacular appearance in the morning sky, brilliant Venus moves into the evening sky during the summer of 2016. Every 585 days it appears in the evening sky. On June 6, 2016, Venus passes on … Continue reading 2016-2017: Venus, Evening Star
2016-2017 Venus Evening Star, The Diagram
This chart provides the detail for the posting 2016-2017, Venus Evening Star. The chart was plotted using data from the U.S. Naval Observatory's MICA computer program. All points on the chart are calculated for Chicago, Illinois . The sunset line is the line across the bottom of the chart. The chart shows the setting times … Continue reading 2016-2017 Venus Evening Star, The Diagram
2016: Five Planets Field Report
Field Report: The five naked-eye planets as seen from Rochester, Michigan on February 5, 2016.
2016, Saturn & Moon, Five Planets
In the show of the five naked eye planets, the moon appears near Saturn on February 3. Look southward for the moon at about an hour before sunrise. The planet Saturn is about 4 degrees to the lower left of the moon with the star Antares nearby. Mars is farther to the south and bright … Continue reading 2016, Saturn & Moon, Five Planets
2016: Five Planets, Mercury & Venus, January 28
Clear skies prevailed this morning in the Chicago area. The four bright planets spread across the sky from east to west, with Jupiter near the moon. Mercury, however, was more elusive. Rising behind the trees and into bright twilight, it took binoculars to see it. In the image above, Mercury is at the tree top. … Continue reading 2016: Five Planets, Mercury & Venus, January 28