What’s Up in the Night Sky? – April 2023

by Fred Barrett

Welcome to the Lyrid meteor shower this month! It’s active from April 14 to the 30th. Its radiant is in the constellation Lyra and close to the bright star Vega. It peaks on the evening of the 22nd. Just in time at mid month, the constellation Lyra appears over the north eastern horizon about 8pm and rises higher as the night progresses. Always remember that meteor streaks can appear all over the sky but the trails always point back to the radiant.

On the night the shower peaks, the Moon is a small crescent and the night will be nice and dark. As the radiant rises higher, the meteors will be easier to see.

Near midnight Vega will be about 35 degrees up from the horizon and, with excellent meteor watching conditions, a good show of at least 18 – 20 meteors per hour can be expected.

Venus is fairly high and blindingly bright just after sunset above the western horizon this month. Its position also gives you a rare opportunity to find Mercury more easily. Mercury is down below Venus near the horizon and about 1 or 2 finger widths to the right. You’ll have to catch it soon after sunset before it sets below the tree line. You will have an hour or so. Haul out your binoculars, find a clear view to the west and go for it!

Mars can be found near Castor and Pollux at the top of the constellation Gemini in the west. Saturn rises above the eastern dawn sky as April begins. As the month progresses a telescope will show some fine views of Saturn’s moons as it rises higher in the predawn sky. The once prominent Jupiter is too near the Sun to be visible now.

April 6: Full Moon. One name for this Moon is the Full Pink Moon. In eastern North America a pinkish creeping phlox is one of the earliest flowers to bloom. Other names are Breaking Ice (don’t be on it), Budding and Sugar making Full Moon (Also: Visit to the Dentist Full Moon). April 10: Venus is very close to the Pleiades and is in that area most of the month. Follow its progress. April 13: Last quarter Moon. April 15: Moon is at perigee. 365,832 Km. April 16: Dawn Moon is just below Saturn. April 20: New Moon. Venus passes 8 degrees north of Aldebaran in Taurus. April 21: Mars forms an isosceles triangle with Castor and Pollux. April 22: Lyrid meteor shower peaks in the evening. Moon is between Pleiades and Venus at dusk. April 23: Moon is just above Venus at dusk. April 25: Moon is about 3 degrees right of Mars in early eve- ning. April 27: Moon just above Beehive cluster in Cancer about 9pm EDT. Mars forms a right triangle with Castor and Pollux in Gemini. First quarter Moon. April 28: The Moon is at apogee. 401,592 Km. April 29: Astronomy Day. Go out to a planetarium. It’s a Saturday: check out the North Frontenac Dark Sky Site and the Lennox and Addington Dark Sky Viewing site. Go outside and see how many constellations you can find. Be Stellar!

Follow the links below for information & upcoming events at our Dark Sky sites: www.northfrontenac.com/en/open-forbusiness/dark-sky-preserve.aspx# www.visitfrontenac.ca/en/explore-anddo/dark-sky-preserve.aspx https://naturallyla.ca/explore/dark-skyviewing-area-lennox-addington/

Also check https://rasc.ca/ottawa-centre for area news and events.

Contact me through this paper or email me at fred.barrett2@sympatico.ca . Clear Skies! ■