Composite image of Lyrid and not-Lyrid meteors over New Mexico from April 2012.
Credit: NASA/ MSFC/ Danielle Moser
This April, the skies put on a dazzling show – watch planets like Jupiter, Venus, and Mars glide across morning and evening skies, catch the Lyrid meteor shower lighting up the night, and explore a stunning “city of stars” with the ancient globular cluster M3. Whether you’re a casual stargazer or a telescope pro, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxVhRW6Ye58
April (Meteor) Showers and See a City of Stars!
Enjoy a month full of skywatching opportunities! Look for bright planets in both the morning and evening skies, catch the Lyrid meteor shower mid-month, and search for a distant, ancient “faint fuzzy” known as M3 – a spectacular globular cluster sometimes called a “city of stars.”
Skywatching Highlights
All Month – Planet Visibility
Mercury: Briefly visible in the second half of April, extremely low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
Venus: Now a morning object, rising low in the east during the hour before dawn.
Mars: Easy to spot after dark all month, glowing reddish and high overhead. Sets a couple of hours after midnight.
Jupiter: Bright in the western sky after sunset, setting a few hours later.
Saturn: Visible before sunrise in the last half of April, low in the east just below Venus.
Daily Highlights:
April 1 & 30 – Jupiter & Crescent Moon: Find the charming pair in the west as the sky darkens, setting about 3 hours after sunset.
April 4 & 5 – Mars & Moon: The Moon, around its first quarter phase, appears near Mars in the sky for two nights.
April 24-25 – Grouping of the Moon & Three Planets: Find Venus, Saturn, and the crescent moon gathered low in the east as dawn warms the morning sky. Mercury is also visible below them for those with a clear view to the horizon.
All month – Venus: Earth’s hothouse twin planet has made the shift from an evening object to a morning sight. You’ll notice it rising low in the east before dawn, looking a little higher each morning through the month.
All month – Mars: Looking bright and reddish in color, Mars is visible high overhead after dark all month. At the start of the month it lies along a line with bright stars Procyon and Pollux, but you’ll notice it moves noticeably over the course of April (~12 degrees or the width of your outstretched fist at arm’s length).3
Daily Highlights:
April 1 & 30 – Jupiter & Crescent Moon: Find the charming pair in the west as the sky darkens, setting about 3 hours after sunset.
April 4 & 5 – Mars & Moon: The Moon, around its first quarter phase, appears near Mars in the sky for two nights.
April 24-25 – Grouping of the Moon & Three Planets: Find Venus, Saturn, and the crescent moon gathered low in the east as dawn warms the morning sky. Mercury is also visible below them for those with a clear view to the horizon.
All month – Venus: Earth’s hothouse twin planet has made the shift from an evening object to a morning sight. You’ll notice it rising low in the east before dawn, looking a little higher each morning through the month.
All month – Mars: Looking bright and reddish in color, Mars is visible high overhead after dark all month. At the start of the month it lies along a line with bright stars Procyon and Pollux, but you’ll notice it moves noticeably over the course of April (~12 degrees or the width of your outstretched fist at arm’s length).3
The Life of Earth
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