The skies this week are buzzing with cosmic activity. Venus cozies up to Saturn while Neptune lurks nearby, and the moon makes dramatic leaps past Jupiter, Mars, and the Beehive Cluster. A little-known star pattern — the Three Leaps of the Gazelle — gallops across the sky, and asteroid Vesta reaches its peak brightness of the year. With the first quarter moon arriving Sunday, it's a perfect time to enjoy lunar views and planet-packed photo ops.
Here's what not to miss in this action-packed week above!
Before dawn, look east to see brilliant Venus passing just above Saturn. The two planets fit in the same binocular view all week, offering a dazzling planetary duo in the morning sky.
After dusk, catch the waxing crescent moon sitting just below bright Jupiter in the west. It's a perfect pairing for evening skywatchers and a great chance for a scenic photo.
Look high overhead after dusk to spot the "Three Leaps of the Gazelle" in Ursa Major. This lesser-known star pattern stretches nearly 30 degrees near the familiar Big Dipper.
Minor planet Vesta shines brightest for the year tonight, visible all night in Virgo. At magnitude 5.4, it's easy to spot with binoculars just left of the star Mu Virginis.
Early risers may spot Neptune near Venus and Saturn in the east. While only visible through telescopes, the trio fits in a binocular field, best seen from darker, southern skies.
At dusk, the half-moon hovers over Mars with the Beehive star cluster nearby. In eastern North America, the moon briefly covers a star in Cancer just after 10 p.m. EDT.
The moon reaches first quarter at 9:52 a.m. EDT (1352 GMT). This phase offers the best views of lunar craters and mountains, with the moon visible from afternoon through midnight in most time zones.
Though the first quarter moon on May 4 will be a splendid sight, my favorite moon phase to look out for this week will be the waxing crescent moon on April 29, shining just below Jupiter.
Feeling inspired to take a more in-depth moonlit tour of our rocky companion? Our ultimate guide to observing the moon will help you plan your next skywatching venture, whether it be exploring the lunar seas, mountainous terrain, or the many craters that blanket the landscape. You can also see where astronauts, rovers and landers have ventured with our Apollo landing sites observing guide.
In groundbreaking photos, eclipse chasers captured the elusive solar corona during a partially eclipsed sunrise/moonrise in Quebec. It could change eclipse chasing forever.
Astrophotographer Ron Brecher sent us this incredible image of Messier 106, a stunning spiral galaxy some 24 million light-years away.
M106 shines at a relatively bright magnitude of 9.1, making it visible through a small telescope, though you'll need a larger scope to reveal its finer details. It’s best seen in May.
Towards the lower left of the image is another prominent galaxy, NGC 4248, also about 24 million light-years away.
Here are the best star projectors to enjoy a night sky experience from the comfort of your couch. They are often reduced on special occasions such as Prime Days, so keep your eyes open.
No comments:
Post a Comment