Planets
Mercury
Mercury is a morning object and reaches greatest western elongation on the 21st April when it will be 27.4º from the Sun, and reasonably placed.
Venus
Venus passed through Inferior Conjunction on the 23rd March and moved into the morning sky. By the middle of the month it will be 35º from the Sun and well placed for observation.
Mars
Mars is well past opposition now but remains fairly well placed for observing throughout the earlier part of the night. It is a prominent reddish object just below the stars Castor and Pollux and has a magnitude around +0.6. Its diameter drops to 7.5” by mid April.
Jupiter
Jupiter is well past opposition but remains a prominent object high in the south-western sky as soon as it is dark. It is still well placed for observing in the early part of the night. It is unmistakable, with a magnitude of -2.1, making it a great telescope object, so do get observing while it is still around!
Saturn
Saturn is lost to observation this month as it passed through conjunction in March.
Uranus
Uranus sets mid evening and is therefore becoming a difficult object now (RA: 3h 32m, Dec +18.5º). It reached opposition in November. Its magnitude is +5.6 and diameter 3.8”.
Neptune
Neptune is not observable this month
Moon
Phases:
5th April: Moon is at First Quarter 13th April: Full Moon
21st April: Moon is at last quarter 27th April: New Moon
Sun
The Sun is remains active currently, so watch out for large Sunspot groups. Remember to never look at the Sun directly without a proper solar filter.
Aurora
The Sun is still around its maximum activity and may produce more aurorae. I suggest you download an aurora alert App, such as Aurora Pro.
Meteors
The Lyrid meteor shower reaches its peak on the 22nd April, but some may be seen for a week either side of that. As the Moon is past last quarter, it will cause less interference, so keep an eye out for these.
Dark Sky Objects
The lighter evenings will be more limiting on deep sky objects, but galaxies in Leo are well placed. Also M51 (Whirlpool) and M101 (Pinwheel) near Ursa Major are particularly well placed for observation and photography.
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