THE SOUTHWORTH PLANETARIUM
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Founded January 1970
Julian Date:  2459306.18
2020-2021: CV


THE DAILY ASTRONOMER
Thursday, April 1, 2021
April 2021 Night Sky Calendar  Part I

Happy April!
The first full month of spring -there are only two of them- has begun! Now,
we offer part I of our April 2021 Night Sky Calendar.   For those who've
just joined us, the Night Sky Calendar offers a listing of what we believe
are the month's most interesting celestial sights.   We concede that
hundreds of interesting sights are visible every night.    However, space
and time constraints preclude the inclusion of them all.   Hence, this
limited, but hopefully still useful, calendar.   It is divided into parts
due to the graphics we add to the text.

*THURSDAY, APRIL 1:  THE WINTER TRIANGLE LINGERS*
It is said that in New England winter lingers into spring like that
detested relative who loiters about sowing misery and discord long after
the last condiment has been returned to the shelf.     The same is true for
the "Winter Triangle," that triangular pattern consisting of three stars:
Betelgeuse (Orion), Sirius (Canis Major) and Procyon (Canis Minor).    The
Winter Triangle is so named because it remains visible in the evening sky
throughout most of the winter.  In April, the triangle begins the night in
the west and will begin to set just before midnight.  (It begins to set
just before 10 p.m. at month's end.)

[image: winter-triangle2jpg-c65861c38c7caa33.jpg]
The Winter Triangle begins the evening in the western sky.  The Triangle
begins to set just before midnight at month's beginning.

*FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 2021:  MOON NEAR ANTARES*
We recall that the moon can pass close to or even occult four bright stars:


   - Aldebaran in Taurus
   - Antares in Scorpius
   - Regulus in Leo
   - Spica in Virgo

Tonight, the waning gibbous moon (69% illuminated) appears to pass close to
Antares, the bright star representing Scorpius' heart.   See  star chart
below:

                  [image: skychart.png]

*SUNDAY, APRIL 4: LAST QUARTER MOON*

*TUESDAY, APRIL 6:  MOON NEAR SATURN*
See the waning crescent moon (27% illuminated) and Saturn together within
the constellation Capricornus the Seagoat.    One will see them both in the
early morning eastern sky.    If you've been trying to find Saturn, venture
out tonight and you'll see it close to the moon.

                  [image: skychart (1).png]

*WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7:  MOON NEAR JUPITER*
On Wednesday morning, one will see the waning crescent moon (18%
illuminated)  near Jupiter just outside of Capricornus the seagoat.
Although Jupiter is brighter than Saturn and therefore easier to locate,
one might still find it useful to have the moon close by.

*THURSDAY, APRIL 8:  SEE ALL OF HYDRA *
Hydra the Watersnake is the largest and the longest of the 88 official
constellations. The Hydra region covers 1,303 square degrees and the
constellation, itself, extends over 100 degrees.    In fact, Hydra requires
almost eight hours to fully rise.   In April, one can see all of Hydra by 9
p.m.

[image: Hydra-Stellarium.jpg]
Mythologically, Hydra was the many headed water snake that Heracles was
required to slay during this famous labors.   Killing Hydra proved somewhat
tricky, for not only were its exhalations fatal to any who breathed close
by, but it possessed many heads.  Moreover, each time a head was severed,
two sprouted up in its place. Heracles was finally able to kill Hydra by
having his nephew apply a cauterizing iron to the stumps after each
decapitation.




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