Here is a picture –
– to show you the state of the solar system, also to show you that I’m still alive though not yet quite through the ordeal of moving from one point to another on this planet.
The view is from 15° north of the ecliptic plane, at longitude 217° and 6 astronomical units from the Sun. The dashed line is the vernal equinox direction (where the Sun appeared to be at the March 20 equinox). The purpose is to show the paths of the planets in April and May, and sightlines from Earth to them at April 29.
You can see that the only planet in the evening sky, that is, to the “left” (east) of the Sun, is Venus, still slowly climbing in that direction.
Jupiter will move into the evening sky, that is, reach opposition and be highest at midnight, on May 9. At present it still rises just after midnight. Farther on the morning side, Mars and Saturn make a group; Mars passed Saturn on April 2.
And lower, into the morning twilight, Mercury is on April 29 at greatest elongation, or angular distance from the Sun.
The elongation it reaches is indeed the greatest for this year (27°). And yet, because of the angle at which it comes slanting out from our north-hemisphere horizon, this is the worst, that is, worst of Mercury’s appearances – the paradox caused by the small planet’s oblique orbit.
Thanks Guy. This illustration shows very clearly why this is such a poor apparition for Mercury for those of us on Earth’s northern hemisphere. Given cloudy weather and my inconvenient work schedule I haven’t seen Mercury yet, and probably won’t during this apparition.
Jupiter has been rising well before midnight. In the past week I’ve started seeing him, even through clouds, well up in the southeast when I’m going to bed around 10 or 11 o’clock daylight “saving” time.
I hope the ordeal will be over soon, and I’m curious to know where you’re landing.
Thanks for the update. Everything keeps moving – the planets, the stars, and you. (Technically the stars don’t move, the earth rotates underneath them.)
Re:
“Jupiter will move into the evening sky, that is, reach opposition and be highest at midnight, on May 9. At present it still rises just after midnight. Farther on the morning side, Mars and Saturn make a group; Mars passed Saturn on April 2.”
You meant, of course, presently “still CULMINATES just after midnight” rather than “rises” :-)
btw, Moving DOES get tiresome does it not?
Abdolutely. A lapsus mentis caused by the motion of the planet under me.
snd
And a particularly interesting conjunction of a full moon with a close approach of Jupiter to earth the night of Sunday, April 29th..