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70 Falmouth Street Portland, Maine 04103
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Founded January 1970
Julian Date: 2459306.18
2020-2021: CV
THE DAILY ASTRONOMER
Thursday, April 1, 2021
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.)
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:
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:
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.
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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.
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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