SkyEye

The Calendar

The Solar System

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. Dwarf planets and small solar-system bodies, including comets, are not so constrained, often moving far above or below the ecliptic.

Sun Pisces → Aries

Mercury Aries → Pisces

At greatest elongation east on the first day of the month, Mercury is particularly viewable from the northern hemisphere for the following few days. It gradually disappears into the evening twilight and undergoes inferior conjunction on 20 April before reappearing in the morning sky by the end of the month. The southern hemisphere will get the best morning sky views.

Venus Pisces

Last month, the northern hemisphere had the best views of Venus. As it passed north of the Sun's disc late last month, observers from northern latitudes were able to see our nearest neighbour both in the evening and in the morning. This month it rises slowly above the horizon in the morning sky. However, southern hemisphere views of the morning star are much more favourable, with Venus climbing rapidly above the eastern horizon.

Mars Aries → Taurus

Evening twilight is beginning to catch up with the red planet. Look for Mars towards the west where it sets in the early evening for southern hemisphere observers and a little later for those in the north.

Jupiter Virgo

Jupiter is at opposition on 7 April so it is up most of the night and well-placed for observing during the evening hours.

Saturn Sagitarius

The ringed planet now rises before midnight for all terrestrial observers.

Uranus Pisces

At solar conjunction on the fourteenth day of the month, this ice giant is unobservable throughout April.

Neptune Aquarius

A small telescope is necessary to view the most distant planet in the solar system. It may be far enough removed from the solar glare to be visible in the early morning hours.