Thursday, April 08, 2021
Southern Skywatch April 2021 edition is now out!
In April most of the planetary action is in the morning.
6 April; Saturn close to the crescent Moon in the morning. 7 April; Saturn, Jupiter and the crescent Moon form a triangle in the morning. 8 April; Jupiter above the crescent Moon in the morning. April 11; crescent Moon above Mercury low in the twilight. April 13; Mars is almost directly between Elnath and Zeta Tauri, which forms the tip of the other horns of Tarus the Bull. April 15; Moon at Apogee. April 17; Mars and crescent Moon close. April 27th; Mars passes through the outskirts of the open cluster M35. April 28; Moon at perigee (perigee Full Moon, "super" Moon).
Mercury is low in the morning sky this month and lost in twilight mid month. On the 11th the thin crescent Moon is just above Mercury low in the twilight, a mere 3 finger-widths above the horizon, 30 minutes before sunrise. You will need a level unobscured horizon and possibly binoculars to see this.
Venus
is too close to the sun to see. It will return to the evening sky in May.
Mars is close to the crescent Moon on the 17th. On the 13th Mars is almost directly between Elnath and Zeta Tauri, which form the tips of the horns of Taurus the Bull. Mars passes through the outskirts of the open cluster M35 on the 27th. You will need binoculars to see the encounter at its best.
Jupiter is rising higher in the morning sky, in a line with Saturn and Mercury early in the month. On the 7th the crescent Moon is between Saturn and Jupiter, then on the 8th the thin crescent Moon is below Jupiter, with Saturn above.
Saturn climbs higher in the morning sky. On the 6th the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter from a line, then on the 7th the crescent Moon is between Saturn and Jupiter finally on the 8th the thin crescent Moon is below Jupiter forming a line with Jupiter and Saturn.
Apogee April 15; Moon at perigee April 28 (1 am 11 hours after Full so a super moon, May will be better).
Labels: southern skywatch
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