what ’ s up in the sky
what ’ s up in the sky
April 7 - Jupiter at Opposition Early April will be an ideal time to get a good look at our solar system ’ s most domineering planet . On April 7th , Jupiter will be at opposition , which means it is essentially at a position directly opposite of the Sun when viewed from Earth . Near the same time , the gas giant will be at its closest point to the Earth for the year . The combination of these factors puts Jupiter in a prime viewing position from dusk until dawn , peaking at midnight local time . Because it will be visible for so long , it is possible to see the entirety of the planet in one night because it takes just under 10 hours for Jupiter to complete a full rotation . Ranked as the fourth brightest celestial object , Jupiter can be found in the Virgo Constellation near the bright star Spica . With the naked eye , it will manifest as a stunningly bright point of light , but a modest telescope may reveal the giant planet ’ s impressive cloud belts , its turbulent Great Red Spot or any of the four Galilean moons .
April 22 / 23 - Lyrids Meteor Shower Peaks From mid- to late-April , one of the oldest meteor showers on record will be taking its annual turn in the sky . The Lyrids , which are caused by the Earth ’ s passage through debris left behind by Comet Thatcher , are set to peak in the predawn hours of April 22nd / 23rd . The shower produces an average hourly count of between 10 and 20 meteors during the peak . However , rare outbursts are possible . The Moon will be at a thin waning crescent during the peak so interference will be minimal . Especially favorable for the Northern Hemisphere , the Lyrids appear to radiate from a point near Vega in the Lyra constellation and have been known to briefly leave behind glowing dust trails .
April 29 - Astronomy Day Promoted and organized by the Astronomical League , Astronomy
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Finalize your eclipse plans !!
COURTESY OF Fred Espenak , MrEclipse . com
Time is running out to finalize your observing plans for the total solar eclipse that will cut a path across the continental United States on Aug . 21 . It has been more than 38 years since the United States last experienced a total solar eclipse , so anticipation is at a fever pitch . If you have not already , make plans to get to a point on the path of totality that is depicted on this graphic . The total phase will last less than three minutes at a prime location , but it is worth making the trip to see an epic astronomical event .
Day is scheduled for April 29th , and events are being planned around the country to celebrate . Boasting roots that go back to 1973 , Astronomy Day has been held in the spring and fall each year since 2007 . With a theme of “ Bringing Astronomy to the People ,” organizers describe the day as a grass roots movement with a mission to expose as many people as possible to the wonders of astronomy . For more information or to view a list of scheduled events , click here or check with your local astronomy club .
May 5 / 6 - Eta Aquarids
Meteor Shower Peaks The annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower is set to peak in the pre-dawn hours of May 5th / 6th . The shower is caused by the Earth ’ s passage through debris left behind by the famous Halley ’ s Comet , which is also the source for another meteor shower - the Orionids - every October . Especially amazing for Southern Hemisphere observers , who could be treated to 30 or more meteors per hour , the Eta
Aquarids appear to radiate from the Aquarius constellation .
June 15 - Saturn at Opposition Saturn and its dazzling rings will be in a prime viewing situation as the planet reaches opposition on June 15th . During this event , Saturn will rise as the Sun sets and stay up all night , which provides for ample viewing time . In addition to delving into Saturn ’ s fascinating ring system , small telescope users might want to look for Titan , the largest of Saturn ’ s moons , and the dark groove in the rings that is identified as the Cassini Division . June 30 - Asteroid Day Far from simple fodder for sci-fi doomsday blockbusters , asteroids present a very real threat to our world . With this in mind , Asteroid Day was launched in 2015 to raise awareness and encourage a drastic acceleration of efforts to detect and track near-Earth asteroids . For more information about Asteroid Day and how you can get involved , click here .
Sky ’ s Up