April 1, 2006
April Astronomy Note 2006
First Sunday an April, or 2 April, at 2 am, most of th US moves their clocks forward 1 hour to Daylight Savings Time. The Navajo Reservation observes this change. The more backward parts of Arizona do not, with the state legislature citing the extreme technical challenge of changing the time on a clock for the average Arizonan.
Saturn remains good viewing object for telescopes. Because it is casting its shadow across its rings, which are already at a good angle for viewing, the rings have a strong impression of depth or dimension.
Mars is now relatively dim compared to the recent past, and is between the horns of
Taurus, which are roughly between and above Orion and Pleiades.
Jupiter is very bright and a good telescopic target. It passes by the star Zubenelgenubi in Libra on 25 April, which I mention only because I love to say "Zubenelgenubi".
Venus is also extremely bright, more remarkable because it is only half-full. It appears early in the morning and is brighter than Jupiter. Venus passes less than 1/3 degree north of dim, blue-green Uranus on 18 April.
Mercury is also visible this month, but only about 10 degrees above the horizon at Arizona latitudes.
There are two expected meteor showers this month. The Lyrids are active April 16-25, with their peak on 22 April, when as many as 90 per hour may streak. Average is about 18. These are generally fast, bright meteors, and 20-25% leave persistent trails. The moon will be less than 1/4 and shrinking at peak time, so conditions will be good. The shower "radiant", or apparent point of origination, will rise about 9:30 pm and keep rising, so that is another positive. The Pi Puppids are active April 15-18, and their radiant is 20 degrees south of Sirius. They are slow but bright meteors, but despite good, dark skies, they are best seen from the southern hemisphere. They may contribute a few streaks to the mid-month show.
Posted by hargers at April 1, 2006 8:43 PM