Where The Planets Are
and other Solar System Objects of Interest
Updated October 31, 2009
Try this online link to
NEAVE PLANETARIUM, created by Paul Neave, an interesting and realistic presentation of the sky. Its simplified format lets you easily set time (night or day) and any place you choose. Planet positions are accurate for the time entered and easily identified by moving the curser. You can easily observe planet motion with time by a simple manipulation of the date and time buttons.
Note: basic time reference for determining NEAVE’s calculations are determined by the internal date/time settings of your computer.
PLANETS: where to look for them in the sky, starting with what is best featured in the evening sky (Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus, Moon, Pluto (a planetoid), followed by what is in the morning sky before sunrise (Venus, Saturn, Mars). Although Mars now rises just before midnight, it is best seen in the morning sky Lastly, what is too near the Sun to be seen ( Mercury ).
Evening sky: (Sunset about 5 p.m. AST)
Jupiter in Capricornus, quite noticeable, brightest star-like object in the evening sky (mag -2.8), in the southeast as the sky darkens. Reaches its maximum altitude (about 30°) in the south between 7 and 8 p.m. AST (UT -4h). Its 4 Galilean moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto) can be observed even in a small telescope. Seeing their positions change from night to night is quite interesting. Jupiter sets near midnight. Jupiter has been in retrograde motion, appearing to move westward (an apparent shift in Jupiter’s position due to Earth moving eastward in its orbit at the time when Earth is near opposition with Jupiter. (This motion reminds me of a phenomenon I noticed as a child riding on the train. As I looked out the window, it fascinated me that the trees and telegraph poles seemed to be moving by in the opposite direction to the way I was going). In the last half of October, Jupiter’s retrograde motion ends and it resumes moving eastward.
Neptune in Capricornus, at its highest in the south about 7:15 p.m. AST, about 6° eastward from Jupiter, close enough to permit both planets to be observed in almost the same binocular field of view. Jupiter can easily be seen with the unaided eye, however, binoculars and a detailed sky chart are needed to locate Neptune, mag +7.8. Use Jupiter as a starting point to locate Neptune. Its motion can be followed with careful observation in binoculars, like Jupiter it has also been retrograding, but its motion westward against the star background has slowed considerably and early in November it begins its normal eastward motion..
During this period of retrograde motion Jupiter has appeared as if it were passing Neptune (July 6th to 15th) creating a unique Galileo moment. (see archived note under Jupiter, Neptune). During the later half of September the effect of retrograde motion will end and the two planets will resume their eastward motion against the background stars. On December 20, Jupiter will once again pass near one Moon-diameter of Neptune. For the remainder of the year we can continue to use Jupiter as a guidepost to finding Neptune.
Uranus is moving in the boundry zone of Pisces, and Aquarius, in the southeast at sunset. About 9 p.m AST. it is at its highest in the south (up about 40°, it was at opposition Sept 17, magnitude +5.7). Uranus is also in retrograde motion (see Jupiter), its motion can easily be noted using a pair of binoculars to check its nightly position against background stars. It’s only about 6° SW of the Vernal Equinox position (where the Sun appears on the first day of spring).
Pluto is in Sagittarius. By sunset it has just passed its highest point above the southern horizon ( about 25°, at Mag. +14). Sets about 8 p.m. AST. It will be a real tough challenge to find such a very tiny point of light, in a very star-rich segment of the Milky Way. Once darkness arrives, folks with larger telescope diameters (300 mm or more in diameter) could try for a view of Pluto if they have a good, detailed chart. By 10 p.m. it is getting low above the southwestern horizon.
Moon is waxing, now nearly Full Moon (Nov 2nd). Full Moon tides in the Minas Basin are high near mid-day and midnight. Low tides are around 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Quarter moon tides are high near 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.AST. Low tides are just after mid-day and midnight.. See TIDE Today in Minas Basin [2-Day Graph ] [text format].
Morning sky (Sunrise about 7 a.m. AST): Oct 7 to 16 between 6 a.m. and 6:45 a.m. (ADT) in the eastern sky Mars, Venus, Saturn, Mercury and the waning Moon made interesting groupings. Slideshow from photos I took the mornings of Oct 11, 12, 14 and 15.
Mars is in Cancer, The Crab, rises in the east about 11 p.m. (AST). Brightening slightly, Mars now about magnitude +0.7. A little further west are the bright stars, Aldebaran and Betelgeuse which have a similar brightness and reddish colour.
Venus is in Virgo, rises about 5:21 a.m.AST. Easily it is the brightest star-like object in the early morning sky, shining near magnitude -4. Before sunrise on Oct 13 Venus passes less than 1° of Saturn. Morning of Oct 16, a very thin crescent Moon is about 6° SW of Venus.
Saturn is found in Virgo. rises about 3:30 a.m. AST. Saturn was in conjunction with Sun about a month ago ( Sept 17th.), at which time it was not observable. This was also near when Saturn’s rings appeared edge-on (Sept 4th). If Saturn at that time could have been observed, the thickness of the rings is so thin that they would not have been seen. It was unfortunate that Saturn was too near the Sun for such an interesting event. (see Aug 31 Spaceweather.com, Vanishing Rings ). Saturn has begun to emerge from the Sun’s glow, its rings now seen from the north side of Saturn’s equator. Because of the low altitude and increasing brightness of dawn, Saturn is still difficult to see well.
REFERENCES: An excellent reference for astronomical data: the Observer’s Handbook 2009, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Patrick Kelly editor.
Credits: The sky chart and constellation links above are provided by Heavens-Above, a very useful site developed and maintained by Chris Peat. Links for a number of astronomical terms are to The Astronomical Dictionary provided on a web space courtesy of the Astronomical Institute / Utrecht University. The background celestial positions in the analemma, star and planet diagrams are generated using Starry Night Pro.
