April starts off with the moon in an occultation of Aldebaran, one of many throughout the year. This one is visible for most of Asia, but for us it’s a close conjunction.
April 6, late in the evening, Regulus is within a half of a degree, another occultation for the extreme South Pacific. Jupiter is a couple degrees away April 10 and the moon is full April 11.
By April 16, Saturn is joined by the moon in the early morning sky. April 22 sees another occultation, but a difficult one. Neptune is notoriously difficult to view in the first place. However, the following day, Venus is five degrees away, making for an easy observation.
Minor planet Pallas is occulted April 24 for most of North America and the North Atlantic. And, April 28, Aldebaran is occulted again for all North America.
Mercury is at greatest elongation east April 1, a grand opportunity for a few days to see the innermost planet. Speedy Mercury passes in front of the sun and reappears in the morning sky by month end.
Venus passed in front of the sun in March and is gradually brightening and increasing in sunlit area, promising to be a great spectacle in the morning sky for a few months. The “Morning Star” meets up with the moon April 23, as noted above. Venus is at greatest illuminated extent April 30.
Mars is getting harder and harder to pick out of the western evening sky as it gradually nears the sun. By April 30, it will only be 25 degrees from the sun, and a difficult, if not dangerous, binocular object.
Jupiter is at opposition April 7, meaning it rises in the east as the sun sets in the west, so presents great views in early evening and perhaps warmer viewing weather. April 10, the nearly full moon shines along with the gas giant planet in the eastern evening twilight, and on through the night.
Saturn rises in the east in the early morning, and begins retrograde motion April 6, appearing to move westward against the starry backdrop. The waning gibbous moon is nearby April 16 and 17.
Uranus is too close to the sun for viewing.
Neptune will appear in the eastern morning sky around mid-month, but too close to the sun for comfortable observations.
— James Edgar has had an interest in the night sky all his life. He joined the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in 2000 and is now the society’s past-president, editor of the Observer’s Handbook and production manager of the bi-monthly RASC Journal. The IAU named asteroid 1995 XC5 “(22421) Jamesedgar” in his honour.
