Features: Calendar | Lunar Almanac | Monthly Topic
This Month's Night Sky - NOTE: The next paragraph describes the sky as it
appears at 10 pm EST (11 pm EDT) near mid- month. The sky also looks
this way at 11 pm EST (midnight EDT) during the beginning of the month and
at 9 pm EST (10 pm EDT) by month's end.
As the days lengthen, the stars of the Winter Triangle
fade into evening's dusk. The "Big Dipper" asterism
(Ursa Major) is well placed for viewing this month since
it is almost directly overhead. Follow the curve of its
handle to Arcturus (Bootes) and continue on the curve to
Spica (Virgo). Regulus (Leo) is on the ecliptic (the path
traced by the Sun, planets and Moon), just W. of overhead.
Further W., on the ecliptic, find the Gemini Twins, Castor
and Pollux, and finally the Pleiades asterism of Taurus.
Although MERCURY might be visible before sunrise, low in
the E, it will be difficult to see. You will have better
luck finding bright JUPITER in the in the S, and dim MARS
in the SE. Very bright VENUS glows in the W after sunset
and much dimmer Saturn shines high in the S. By midnight,
Saturn has moved to the W while JUPITER shines in the SE.
The Lyrid meteor shower peaks during the night of the
21st./22nd. April is an excellent month to watch the
night sky!
Although MERCURY might be visible before sunrise, low in the E, it will be difficult to see. You will have better luck finding bright JUPITER in the in the S, and dim MARS in the SE. Very bright VENUS glows in the W after sunset and much dimmer Saturn shines high in the S. By midnight, Saturn has moved to the W while JUPITER shines in the SE. The Lyrid meteor shower peaks during the night of the 21st./22nd. April is an excellent month to watch the night sky!
Calendar of Events
NOTE: For those observers not in the ET zone, convert the calendar times to your zone's time by subtracting one hour for CT, two for MT and three for PT. Don't forget to adjust for Daylight Savings Time when necessary by subtracting one hour from your planisphere's time.; Dawn and dusk times must also be corrected. See your local newspaper, TV news, or cable TV's Weather Channel for sunrise and sunset times. Unfortunately some of these events may occur during daylight hours in your area.
| DATE | EVENT |
02 |
Tonight's full Moon is called the Sap Moon. |
08 |
Look for a conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter at 5
am EDT. |
13 |
Look for a close conjunction (half a degree) of the Moon and Mars at 10 pm EDT. |
16 |
A five degree conjunction of the Moon and Mercury occurs at 7 am EDT but will probably be lost in the glare of sunrise. |
20 |
Venus and the Moon are in conjunction (3 degrees) at 4 am EDT. |
22 |
Lyrid meteor shower peaks early in the morning. The crescent Moon will set a little after 2 am EDT when the shower's radiant will be about half way up the E sky. You can expect to see around a dozen per hour after the Moon sets. These meteors are fast and bright and are incandescent particles left in our orbit by Comet Thatcher. |
25 |
Saturn and the Moon are in close conjunction (1 degree) at 6 am EDT. |
| Phases of the Moon | Phase and Date(s) | Best viewed before local midnight |
 |
New |
Deep Space Objects |
 |
1st. Qtr |
Planets & Moon |
 |
Full |
Moon |
 |
Last |
Deep Space & Planets |
Topic of the month: Lunar feature: Plato
|
| Each month, when the crescent Moon reappears after sunset
and deep space observation becomes very difficult, our attention is drawn to the dark oval that is Mare Crisium (the Sea of Crisis).
--See you next month ! |
| There is no image currently for Mare Crisium, if you have one or a suggestion for one, contact Astra. | |
This installment of "Whats Up?" is ©2007 Ronald A. Leeseberg, encoded by Dawn Jenkins for Astra's Stargate.
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