This column was provided by San Benito County resident and amateur astronomer David Baumgartner as part of a local series on astronomy.
Well, I think it’s official now. Nether God, the Weatherman, or Mother Nature, whoever is in charge of the weather, could be considered an avid Astronomer. If they were they wouldn’t have clouded up the most important planned evenings of the month for us. I do understand the need for adequate rainfall, especially when we have been going through such lean years of the wet stuff. But come on, at least give us a few nights a month to dust off our equipment and put it to good use for something we enjoy immensely.
I somehow picture them being perched up so high above looking down on us that maybe they just can’t see all the wonders in our heavens for themselves, or don’t even know they exist. For if they did, they certainly would be giving us better skies more often. Or maybe they just like a good joke now and then getting us all flustered. You think?
Well, I don’t know what it is, but it does seem lately that every time we plan to go out on a special night and do some serious star gazing it clouds up and we miss everything. All we can do is try to be more patient, I guess, and wait till it clears up for the next outing. It will happen, you know. I believe it just makes us more appreciative when it does clear up.
For anyone interested, we are rescheduling our “Messier Marathon” for later this month, in hopes of better viewing conditions. If you are interested in knowing what a Messier Marathon is, look it up, it makes for quit a search of the night sky. I should say long night sky. I say that because we start out at sunset and it ends at sunrise the following morning. I’ll be sure to let you know our schedule for this twelve-hour search.
If you like searching for planets, then April through July will be your kind of months. It won’t get any easier than this. You can really show off your knowledge of the heavens to your family or friends, just as long as they haven’t read this article too. You might call it “A Planet Convoy” in the Sky”.
On April 14 just after sunset looking west you will see in order heading east the planets Mercury, Uranus, Venus (the brightest), and Mars. Then heading farther east to the other side of the sky you will see Pluto, Saturn and Neptune.
The only planets that you will need an assistance with in finding will be: Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. A pair of binoculars will service for Uranus and Neptune, but a decent telescope will be needed to pick out the likes of Pluto. If you happen to have a “blinker app” you will be able to take a picture of the area where Pluto is lingering, and a week or so later take another shot at that same area. If you are lucky enough you will see Pluto move back and forth among the stars as you blink from one picture to the other on your computer screen. This is the method used to find Pluto when it was first discovered back in the ’30s. No, I wasn’t around then. But now that I think of it; I was born in 1941. So I guess I was pretty close
Jupiter will be the only planet missing in our lineup. It will be too close to the sun to see. It’s not every day that the sky makes it so easy for us to find eight of the nine planets in one night. Eight you say? (Don’t forget you are standing on one). Don’t put it off; you just may miss the whole experience.
Constellations of the month:
While you are there watching the planets run around in the sky, try to find the “V” shape in the constellation “Taurus the Bull”, just to the south of Venus, and the “Pleiades”, just to the right of Venus, also known as the “Seven Sisters” or “Milk Dipper”. Both are two of the easiest Open Clusters you can find with the naked eye. And if you do anything at all this month, make sure you take a good look at the constellation “Orian” before it disappears for the year. Just locate the three bright stars forming Orian’s belt just to the south of Saturn and Mars. And just below the belt, in Orian’s sword, you will find the most spectacular Nebula in the heavens, called “Orian’s Nebula”. You will need at least a good pair of binoculars to appreciate it. But if you have a telescope of any size, you are in for a beautiful sight. I find myself admiring this Nebula every time I go out at night with my scope. And I seem to feel a little sad when it goes down below the horizon for the last time, knowing I won’t get another glimpse of this spectacular Nebula until next winter.
Did you get a chance to admire the great “Leonid” meteor showers back in November of last year? If you did you witnessed one of the best.
This month on the morning of the 22 you have another chance to see a moderate meteor shower, the “Lyrids”. It certainly won’t be as spectacular as the “Leonid” showers but should put up some good numbers (10 to 15 per hour). Your best look will be in the predawn hours of April 22. Just look toward the tiny constellation of “Lyra”, that is where the showers will be in radiant from. Yes, that means you will have to take out your astronomy books to find Lyra’s location and get up early that morning to see them. That shouldn’t hurt you any.
So, take the precious time and show your family, a friend, or just yourself what is available in the skies at dust this month. You won’t be discouraged, nor will anyone else you show.
What’s up this month?
Apr. 06 Full Moon
Apr. 11 Jupiter is in conjunction with the Sun. (Conjunction, remember from last month? But don’t try to find it and look at this one)
Apr. 13 Last Quarter Moon
Apr. 15 Moon is at perigee (228,645 miles from Earth)
Apr. 15 Moon passes 3° south of Saturn
Apr. 17 Moon passes 2° south of Neptune
Apr. 20 New Moon
Apr. 20 Venus passes 8° north of Aldebaran
Apr. 21 Moon passes 1.7 ° north of Uranus
Apr. 22 Lyrid meteor shower peaks
Apr. 23 Moon passes 1.3° north of Venus
Apr. 25 Moon passes 3° north of Mars
Apr. 27 First Quarter Moon
Apr. 28 Moon is at apogee (251,220 miles from Earth