The nights are now starting to cool down and that brings better seeing conditions. In the last week of March, I saw the most satellites near Saturn for some time, six in all. Six stars were visible in the trapezium. Roll on Autumn and Winter.
The Moon The Moon will be furthest from Earth on 24th April, 4 days after full moon, at 404,312 kms. It will be 29.55 arcminutes in diameter. The Moon will be closest to Earth on the 6th May, 1 day after new moon. It will be at a distance of 361,448 km and 33.05 arcminutes in diameter. The difference in diameter is approximately 1/11 the largest diameter. I have been asked does the Moon look bigger sometimes; and there is the answer, for those new to observing the Moon.
Occultations An occultation of Antares by the Moon will occur on the 24th April beginning at 3.00am. Antares will have an altitude of 75.6 degrees, well placed for a scintillating view of this event.
Later you can view the centre of the Milky Way in Saggitarius, and the beautiful Emu shape. If you have not seen this shape before, the head begins near the Southern Cross in the Coal Sack, the dark area that sits between the Cross and the Pointers, the neck of the Emu extends through the pointers and then your eye will hit the body, you can't miss once the head and neck are resolved. There faintest star visible to my eye inside the Coal Sack is Hipparcos # 62651 at a distance of 770 +or- 130 light years, and it is a magnitude 6.7 star. ( My eyes are not as good as a young pair of eyes.)
If you can see this star clearly, it is a good indication your sky is reasonably dark. A good exercise is to try to find the faintest star that your eye can pick up. This will be the equivalent of the canary in the mine, it tells you how good or bad, whatever the case maybe, the light pollution levels overhead.
Mercury returns to the evening in sky in mid April.
Venus will be an evening object by mid June. If you have just purchased your first telescope, and I know there are a couple of you, have a look at Venus and observe the transition of it's shape, it has phases just like the Moon.
Saturn Try to view Saturn now as it is slowly moving away from Earth and by it's next close approach, the rings will be more edge on. By early June Saturn is close to the Sun and becoming a morning object.
Jupiter will be up all night by June and we can have the pleasure of looking at this beautiful planet at any time. It will be at an altitude of 74.5 degrees at transit ( it's highest point overhead), and a delight for the observer. As winter nears, you will get your best views of Jupiter, possibly ever.
Meteor Showers
Apr. 4 Kappa Serpentids: Radiant--near Corona Borealis. 4 or 5 per hour from Apr. 1 to 7.
Apr. 10 Virginids: Radiant-- near Gamma in bowl of Virgo. 20 per hour.
Apr. 15 April Fireballs: Radiant-- between The Water Jar and Scutum, very erratic. From April 15 to 30 many
bright bolides from Southeastern sky.
Apr. 17 Sigma Leonids: Radiant-- at Leo-Virgo border, actually has moved into Virgo in recent years.
Weak shower of 1 to 2 per hour.
Apr. 22 Lyrids: Radiant-- near Vega. 15 per hour, bright and long lasting meteors. From Comet Thatcher.
April 25 Mu Virginids: Radiant--near Libra. 7 to 10 per hour of medium speed meteors.
Apr. 28 Alpha Bootids: Radiant-- near Arcturus. From Apr. 14 to May 13. Slow meteors with fine trails.
May 1 Phi Bootids: Radiant--near Hercules. From Apr. 16 to May 12. 6 per hour.
May 3 Alpha Scorpiids: Radiant-- Near Antares. From Apr. 16 to May 9.
May 4 Eta Aquarids: Radiant-- near Water Jar. From Apr. 21 to May 12. 21 per hour, yellow with bright trails.
Comet Halley debris.
June 3 Tau Herculids: Radiant--near Corona Borealis. About a month long, 15 per hour max, most quite faint.
June 5 Scorpiids: Radiant--near Ophiuchus. 20 per hour with some fireballs.
June 7 Arietids: About 30 per hour. Slow moving with some fireballs.
June 13 Ophiuchids: Radiant-- near Scorpius. Only 3 per hour but fast moving bolides are common.
Duration--25 days
June 16 June Lyrids: Radiant--near Vega. Another part of May Lyrid meteor stream. 15 per hour, faint blue meteors.
June 20 Ophiuchids: Radiant-- near Sagittarius. Rate varies from 8 to 20, with occasionally many more.
Comets
Comet Boattini is a possible goer for viewing as it brightens towards mid June. The time for each position is AEST at approx. 1.00am.
Boattini (C/2007 W1)
