APRIL ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR
Thursday (April 7) Beginning of Grand Alignment of Planets.
This is the start of a wonderful parade of planets adorning the predawn skies. If you wake between 5-6:15 a.m., you’ll be treated to a line of planets starting with Venus near the eastern horizon with Mars, then Saturn, visible in a line extending at a 30 degree angle up and to the right of Venus. It’s best to have binoculars to easily pick out Mars and Saturn in the morning twilight.
Friday (April 8) through Friday (April 15) PLANETARY GRAND ALIGNMENT BROADENS
With each passing morning, the parade of planets lengthens to include Jupiter barely above the eastern horizon in the predawn sky on April 14.
Thursday (April 14) NEPTUNE ONE DEGREE RIGHT OF JUPITER
If you live in Taos, you won’t be able to see this because Jupiter will be below the mountains to the east of town. As the end of April approaches, Jupiter will be higher in the predawn sky each morning so, with binoculars, you may be able to see Neptune to Jupiter’s right and slightly higher as Jupiter nearly touches the mountain tops around 6 a.m.
Friday (April 15) MERCURY APPROACHING MAXIMUM ELONGATION EAST
While the morning parade of planets continues, Mercury is quietly rising by itself above the western horizon just after sunset. It will be at its brightest on April 16. Mercury will continue to rise from April 17 through 29 although it will be progressively dimmer with each evening twilight (sunset through 8:30 p.m.), After 8:30 p.m., it will be too low above the western horizon to see.
Saturday (April 16) FULL PINK MOON
No. It isn’t pink. Rather, this Full Moon is named after Pink Phlox, an early Spring blooming flower. There are numerous other names for this moon mostly named after early sprouting plants. Spring is beginning to paint over the drab New Mexican desert with new and vibrant colors.
Monday (April 18) URANUS 2 DEGREES BELOW LEFT OF MERCURY
Scan your binoculars about two finger widths held at arm’s length below left of Mercury to find the closest ice giant planet to Earth.
Friday (April 29) MERCURY AT GREATEST ELONGATION EAST
Mercury will be the farthest east of the Sun as it can get just after sunset. Look about one and a half fist widths held at arm’s length above the west-northwest horizon to see Mercury shining bright enough to see naked eye. Bring your binoculars to not only see Mercury better, but also the beautiful dense Pleiades star cluster immediately to the planet’s right.
Saturday (April 30) NEAR OCCULTATION OF VENUS AND JUPITER
At 5:45 a.m., look about 15 degrees above the east-southeast horizon (barely above the mountaintops east of Taos) to see brilliant Venus. Look at Venus with your binoculars to see Jupiter directly to Venus’ left separated by less than the diameter of the Moon. Scan your binocs about 3 finger widths held at arm’s length to the right of Venus and slightly higher to find Neptune. Now look at the ground. If you watched the rest of the parade of planets through April, you have now seen all the major planets in our solar system.