Volume 26 Issue 4
April 2020
April 2020
Month at a Glance:
This month visible planets are still visible with some, Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter rising ahead of the Sun and Venus the lone visible planet in the evening skies over the western horizon. Venus passes through the stars of the open star cluster the Pleiades and will offer a great view through binoculars or telescopes.
An additional event this month is Yuri's Night, the annual celebration of the flight of the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin. I had the fortune of working with a group of muscians (Dark Matter) in producing several music videos for full dome projection in a Planetarium. One of which, Gargin, was renamed Yuri's Night" and as a full-dome video placed 5th in a world-wide competition.
Click here for the month at a glance calendar.
This month visible planets are still visible with some, Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter rising ahead of the Sun and Venus the lone visible planet in the evening skies over the western horizon. Venus passes through the stars of the open star cluster the Pleiades and will offer a great view through binoculars or telescopes.
An additional event this month is Yuri's Night, the annual celebration of the flight of the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin. I had the fortune of working with a group of muscians (Dark Matter) in producing several music videos for full dome projection in a Planetarium. One of which, Gargin, was renamed Yuri's Night" and as a full-dome video placed 5th in a world-wide competition.
Click here for the month at a glance calendar.
Venus and the Pleiades: Binocular View -- Telescope View
Mercury remains visible low over the eastern horizon in the morning skies before the Sun rises.
Venus is very visible over the southwestern horizon at sunset local time. Toward the end of the month Venus reaches its GIE, or Greatest Illuminated Extent, as it reacshines at a -4.7o apparent magnitude. During the first few days of the month Venus will pass through the stars of the Pleiades open star cluster, coming the closest on the 3rd.
Mars rises several hours before the Sun and is well placed for being seen over the southern horizon amongst the stars of Capricornus the Sea Goat at sunrise.
Dwarf Planet Ceres rises about a2-3 hours before the Sun rises but at an 8.33th apparent magnitude and its low position over the horizon makes viewing Ceres a challenge. On the morning of the 17th the 24-day old waning crescent Moon will be about 2-3o from Ceres.
Jupiter contines to be visible over the southeastern horizon before the Sun rises and due to its faster orbital speed than Saturn Jupiter moves within about 5o from Saturn toward the end of the month.
Saturn, like Jupiter, rises ahead of the Sun and is visible over the southeastern horizon at sunrise. Watch for conjunctions between Saturn, Mars, Jupiter and the Moon.
Above the Solar System at 10 day Intervals
