April 2016 Sky
- Posted by OCastronomy
- On April 1, 2016
- 0 Comments
- Aldebaran, Antares, Beehive cluster, Jupiter, Lyrid meteor shower, Mars, Mercury, Pleiades, Regulus, Saturn, Venus
April 2016 Sky
| 6 | Moon very near Venus (16° from Sun, morning sky) at 8h UT. Daytime occultation (very thin crescent Moon) from Europe, northern Africa, and western Russia. Mag. -3.9. • Occultations of Venus in 2016 (IOTA) |
| 7 | New Moon at 11:24 UT. Start of lunation 1154. • Lunation Number (Wikipedia) |
| 7 | Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 18h UT (357,163 km; angular size 33.5′). |
| 8 | Moon near Mercury (16° from Sun, evening sky) at 13h UT. Mag. -1.0. Very low on the western horizon. |
| 10 | Moon near the Pleiades (evening sky) at 6h UT. |
| 10 | Moon very near Aldebaran (evening sky) at 23h UT. Daytime occultation from North America. Reappearance visible after sunset from NE USA. • Occultation of Aldebaran (IOTA) |
| 14 | First Quarter Moon at 3:59 UT. |
| 15 | Moon near Beehive cluster (evening sky) at 5h UT. • Beehive Cluster (Wikipedia) • M44: The Beehive Cluster (APOD) |
| 17 | Moon near Regulus (evening sky) at 0h UT. |
| 18 | Moon near Jupiter (evening sky) at 3h UT. Mag. -2.3. The two brightest objects in the evening sky. |
| 18 | Mercury at greatest elongation (20° east of Sun, evening sky) at 14h UT. Mag. +0.2. |
| 20 | Mars 7.2° W of Saturn (135° from Sun, morning sky) at 4h UT. Mags. -1.1 and +0.3. |
| 21 | Moon near Spica (midnight sky) at 12h UT. |
| 21 | Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 16h UT (distance 406,351 km; angular size 29.4′). |
| 22 | Full Moon at 5:24 UT. |
| 22 | Lyrid meteor shower peaks at 6h UT. Active April 16-25. Radiant is between Hercules and Lyra. Expect 10 to 20 bright, fast meteors per hour at its peak. Unfavorable viewing conditions this year due to Full Moon. • Observing the Lyrids (Gary Kronk) • Meteor Shower Calendar 2016 (PDF) (IMO) |
| 25 | Moon near Mars (morning sky) at 6h UT. Mag. -1.3. |
| 25 | Moon near Antares (morning sky) at 8h UT. |
| 25 | Moon near Saturn (morning sky) at 20h UT. Mag. +0.2. |
| 26 | Mars 4.9° N of Antares (morning sky) at 21h UT. Mags. -1.3 and +1.0. |
| 30 | Last Quarter Moon at 3:29 UT. |
| April 2016 Sky All times Universal Time (UT). USA Eastern Summer Time = UT – 4 hours. | |
