Eyes On The Sky for April 2025
Saturday, March 29 – Partial Eclipse of the Sun at sunrise. This solar eclipse will begin while the sun is still below the eastern horizon. When the sun rises at 6:42 a.m., it will be three minutes from maximum eclipse when 32% of the sun is covered by the moon as seen from the Albany area. This partial solar eclipse will end for us at 7:08 a.m. Maximum eclipse will occur in northern Quebec where 93% of the sun will be hidden. You will need a pair of safe solar eclipse glasses to view this celestial event.
April 2025 – Mercury and Venus, which have graced our western evening sky during March, have swung between us and the sun and are now creeping into the eastern sky before sunrise. Saturn has done nearly the same, but as an outer planet, it has veered around the “backside” of the sun and is also emerging into the eastern morning sky. In the evening sky, Jupiter is now the sole evening “star” with Mars to its east. The Red Planet is fading fast as it recedes from Earth at almost a million miles per day.
Tuesday, April 1 – Venus, now the morning “star,” rises this morning at 5:30 a.m., Mercury rises at 6:01 a.m. and Saturn rises at 6:09 a.m. All three planets are in the eastern sky as sunrise approaches with Mercury and Saturn very low to the horizon. Venus, however, is easily found because of its brightness and its somewhat greater altitude. An unobstructed eastern horizon helps in finding these planetary objects.
Wednesday, April 2 – In the evening sky, the moon, now five days past its new phase (that occurred during the partial solar eclipse), is a waxing crescent to the upper right of Jupiter.
Friday, April 4 – The moon is First Quarter and appears near Mars this evening.
Saturday, April 5 – A waxing gibbous moon is just to the east of Mars. Both are visible in the south around 8 p.m.
Saturday, April 12 – Full Moon occurs at 8:22 p.m. against the stars of Virgo and next to Spica, the brightest star in this constellation.
Friday, April 18 – The moon, now in its waning gibbous phase, reaches an extreme, low position in the sky (technically, its southern-most celestial declination) against the stars of Sagittarius. This low point in its orbit will not occur again until 2042.
Friday, April 25 – The thinning, waning lunar crescent is among the Venus-Saturn-Mercury configuration in the eastern dawn sky. Look around 5:15 a.m. for this lunar-planetary gathering.
Wednesday, April 30 – The moon, now back in the evening sky as a waxing lunar crescent, is again appearing near Jupiter. Look after 8:30 p.m. to the west for this pairing.
Editor’s Note: Richard Monda, is an assistant professor of Astronomy and Physics in the Biology, Chemistry and Physics Department and the creator of HVCC Eyes on the Sky, a YouTube video series.