Eyes on the Sky Update: April 2024
Monday, April 1 – Last Quarter Moon occurs at 11:15 p.m. The last quarter moon will be just east of the handle stars of the Sagittarius “teapot” shape and will rise over the southeastern horizon at 3:16 a.m. on April 2.
Saturday, April 6 – Waning Lunar Crescent is hovering just above the horizon between the east and the east-southeast points 40 minutes before sunrise. Mars and Saturn both appear very close to this thinly lit crescent. Use binoculars to see these objects in the brightening sky.
Sunday, April 7 – Moon at its closest approach to the Earth (perigee) for the month at 222,979 miles occurring at 1:50 p.m.
Monday, April 8 – Moment of New Moon happens at 2:21 p.m.
Monday, April 8 – TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN for Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and Plattsburgh, NY. From the Albany, NY, area this celestial event will be a “deep” partial solar eclipse with 97% of the sun covered at maximum (3:26 p.m.). From Saratoga, 98% of the sun will be eclipsed by the moon at maximum and in the Glens Falls/Lake George region, 99% of the sun will be obscured. Safe solar eclipse glasses, with the ISO designation 12312-2:2015, must be worn during the partial eclipse phases.
Wednesday, April 10 (morning sky) – As the orbital motion of Mars moves the planet eastward around the sun faster than Saturn, Mars overtakes the Ringed Planet in its apparent position in the sky. Both appear very close to one another in the brightening dawn. Use binoculars to find these planets no later than 30 minutes before sunrise.
Wednesday, April 10 (evening sky) – The three-day old, thin, waxing crescent moon will make a fine sight above the western horizon in the early evening sky. Jupiter will be the bright “star” to the lower left of the slim crescent.
Monday, April 15 – First Quarter Moon occurs at 3:13 p.m. This evening, the quarter moon will be to the upper left of the marker stars of Gemini, Caster and Pollux.
Friday, April 19 – The moon will be at its most distant from Earth (apogee) for the month at 252,043 miles at 10:10 p.m..
Monday, April 22 – Earth Day – Almost full moon (waxing gibbous, 99% lit) will appear next to Spica, the brightest star of Virgo.
Tuesday, April 23 – Instant of Full Moon takes place at 7:49 p.m. It will rise in the southeast just a few minutes earlier. Some of the folklore names for the full moon of April are Pink Moon, Egg Moon and Paschal Moon.
Friday, April 26 & Saturday, April 27 – Seventeen-day old Waning Gibbous Moon rises just after 10 p.m. in the southeast and is above the Scorpion’s brightest star, Antares, which rises just before 11 p.m. The next night, the moon is to the lower left of Antares
Editor’s Note: Richard Monda, is an assistant professor of Physics and Astronomy in the Biology, Chemistry and Physics Department and the creator of HVCC Eyes on the Sky, a YouTube video series.