What’s Up in the April Sky
April’s Evening Planets:
Red Mars could be viewed until 11 PM between in Taurus the Bull. Uranus is in Pisces the Fish until 9 PM and earlier every night until 7 PM by the end of the year.
April’s Evening Stars:
The Winter Triangle will be up until around 11 PM, and setting earlier every night: Sirius, the brightest star viewed from Earth is in Canis Major the Great Dog, Betelgeuse is in Orion the Hunter, and Procyon is in Canis Minor the Small Dog. Spot Capella is in Auriga the Charioteer, Arcturus is in Bootes the Herdsman, Regulus is in Leo the Lion, Spica is in Virgo the Virgin, and bright Castor and Pollux is in Gemini the Twins. Also find the stars of constellations Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Hercules, Cancer, Perseus, Draco, Virgo, Leo, Hydra, and Ursa Major and Ursa Minor (the Big and Little Dippers).
April’s Morning Planets:
Bright Venus and Mercury will be up as of 6 AM moving between Aquarius the Water bearer and Pisces the Fish.
Find Jupiter in Ophiuchus the Snake Bearer until sunrise as of 2 AM and earlier every night. Saturn will be in Sagittarius the Archer as of 4 AM and rising earlier every night. Neptune is in Aquarius the Water bearer as of 6 AM. Pluto is in Sagittarius the Archer as of 3 AM and lingering all night.
April ’s Morning Stars:
The Summer Triangle of Vega in Lyra the Harp, Deneb in Cygnus the Swan, and Altair in Aquila the Eagle will be up until sunrise. Look for reddish Antares in Scorpius the Scorpion, Arcturus in Boötes the Herdsman, and Spica in Virgo the Maiden, along with the stars of constellations Leo, Hercules, Serpens, Libra, Cassiopeia, Ophiuchus, Cepheus, Pegasus, Andromeda, Draco, and Ursa Major and Ursa Minor (the Big and Little Dippers).
April Skylights
- April 1 Venus 3° north of the Moon, midnight
- April 5 New Moon at 4:50 AM
- April 9 Mars 5° north of the Moon, predawn
- April 12 First Quarter Moon at 3:05 PM
- April 16 Moon at perigee (226,300 miles away)
- April 19 Full Moon at 1:10 AM
- April 22 Lyrid meteor shower peaks- predawn
- April 23 Jupiter 1.5° south of the Moon, predawn
- April 26 Last quarter Moon at 6:15 PM
- April 28 Moon at apogee (251,400 miles away)
Times given in EDT.