SkyEye

Welcome to SkyEye, your guide to this month's celestial events. All dates are based on Universal Time (UT).

The Sun and Moon

There are no eclipses this month. As seen from the Earth, the Sun is moving from the constellation Pisces to the constellation Aries.

The phases of the Moon are

Last Quarter : 9 April
New : 16 April
First Quarter : 22 April
Full : 30 April

The Moon is at apogee on 4 April and at perigee on 17 April.

The Moon occults three planets and two first-magnitude stars this month. On 10 April, in a daytime event barely visible from the north Atlantic Ocean, the planet Neptune will slip behind the face of the Moon. The following day, Uranus suffers the same fate. This occultation occurs during daylight hours in western Europe. Mercury falls victim to the nearly New Moon on 14 April during daylight hours in Antarctica. Northern parts of Asia, Alaska, and western Canada have a view of the occultation of Aldebaran on 19 April. Unfortunately, it occurs during the day. Finally, at approximately 21 UT on 24 April, the waxing Moon will obscure first-magnitude Regulus. This occurs during daytime for the eastern United States and Canada but observers in Europe and northern Africa can watch it during the hours of darkness.

The Planets

The word planet is derived from the Greek word for "wanderer." Unlike the background stars, planets seem to move around the sky, keeping mostly to a narrow track called the ecliptic, the path of the Sun across the stars.
Mercury
On the first day of the month Mercury resumes prograde motion. It is occulted by the Moon on 14 April and two days later, reaches greatest elongation west. Look for Mercury in the east just before sunrise. Best seen in the southern hemisphere this month, it can be found in the constellations Pisces and Cetus.
Venus
Venus is the "evening star" seen in the western sky after sunset. It is well-placed for viewing in the northern hemisphere as it climbs ever higher but is still low in the sky for the southern half of the planet. Look for Venus in the constellations Aries and Taurus.
Mars
This is the best time to observe the red planet. Reaching opposition on 24 April, Mars is at its brightest, shining with an apparent magnitude of approximately -1.7. Up all night, it can be found in the constellations Libra and Virgo.
Jupiter
Jupiter is at conjunction on the first day of the month. Thus, this gas giant is too close to the Sun to observe until the end of the month when it appears in the east just before sunrise in the constellation Pisces.
Saturn
Like Jupiter, the ringed planet reaches conjunction with the Sun, this time on 27 April. It is difficult to see low in the west after sunset early in the month and disappears soon thereafter. Saturn is in the constellation Aries.
Uranus
Uranus is occulted by the Moon on 11 April. At best just on the edge of naked-eye visibility, it rises in the early morning hours with Neptune in the constellation Capricornus.
Neptune
Neptune also has an encounter with the Moon although it happens the day before the Uranus occultation. Later, on 24 April, Neptune is at west quadrature. Neptune is falling behind Uranus after their triple conjunction in 1993, but they are still found close together in the sky. Look for this distant gas giant in the constellation Capricornus.
Pluto
Pluto rises in mid-evening but because it is so small and faint, a large telescope is always needed to see it. The outermost planet in the solar system is located in the constellation Ophiuchus.

Minor Planets, Comets and Meteors

Minor Planets
A number of interesting minor planets populate the solar system.
Comets
There are no naked-eye comets visible this month.
Meteors
Two meteor showers are on offer this month. The Lyrids peak on 22 April. The First Quarter Moon sets around midnight so the best time to observe will be in the early morning hours. Two days later, southern hemisphere observers will have a chance to look for the Pi Puppids. Unfortunately, the waxing Moon will offer considerable interference as the radiant of the shower sets just after midnight.

The Celestial Sphere

Constellations are patterns of stars in the sky. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognizes 88 different constellations. The brightest stars as seen from the Earth are easy to spot but do you know their proper names? With a set of binoculars you can look for fainter objects such as nebulae and galaxies or some of the closest stars to the Sun.

Descriptions of the sky for observers in both the northern and southern hemispheres are available for the following times this month. Subtract one hour from your local time if daylight savings time is in effect.

Northern Hemisphere : 45° N

Southern Hemisphere : 30° S

For More Information...

Blue moons, eclipses, the dates of Easter and much more can be found at the Interactive Astronomy Pages. For more information about the objects and events described in SkyEye, visit these astronomy-related sites.

Credits

Much of this information can be found in this month's issue of Sky & Telescope and in other fine amateur astronomy magazines available in your local bookshop. Another excellent source is the current edition of the Astronomical Calendar by Guy Ottewell and published by the Universal Workshop at Furman University.

The image of the Sun in the SkyEye banner is courtesy of the SOHO/EIT consortium. SOHO is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA.

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