Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday April 29th and 30th, written by Joe Slomka
This is the Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday April 29th and 30th, written by Joe Slomka.
The Sun sets at 7:54 PM; night falls at 9:44. Dawn begins at 4 AM and ends with Sunrise at 5:50.
Monday’s 20-day-old Moon rose, in Sagittarius, at 1:13 AM and set at 9:36 AM. Tuesday’s finds the Moon in Capricornus, rising at 2:01 AM, 18° high at 5 AM, appears 32 arc-seconds in size, 55% illuminated and sets at 10:47 AM. Wednesday’s Last Quarter Moon is found also in Capricornus, rising at 2:39 AM, 3° high at 5 AM, 52% lit and sets at 12:03 PM.
There are no visible evening planets; all are either in the Sun’s glare or awaiting sunrise. Early risers can observe several eastern planets. Saturn is first, rising in Aquarius, at 4:02 AM, by 5 AM it shines with 1st magnitude, 16 arc-seconds and 11° high. Mars and Neptune share Pisces. Neptune follows at 4:27 AM, 8th magnitude, 2 arc-seconds and 7° high. Mars rises at 4:28 AM, 1st magnitude, 4 arc-seconds, 6° high and 97% lit. All planets set during daytime. Mercury and Venus will reappear in coming weeks.
Comet 13P/Olbers is visible in the Northwest, rising in Taurus at 7:09 AM, highest at 2:59 PM and sets at 10:51 PM. By 9 PM, it glows 17° high, 9th magnitude, 97% illuminated and closest on June 30th. It should be visible in binoculars and certainly in telescopes. Heinrich Olbers( 1758-1840) was a German astronomer who is known for several findings: he discovered the minor planets Pallas and Vesta, also comets, the star “M”, devised an easy way to calculate comet orbits and also memorialized by minor planet 1002 and a crater.
Below Leo, Hydra begins with a diamond-shaped head and the rest of the body extends southward. In fact, Hydra is the longest and largest constellation. One must travel well South to enjoy Hydra to its fullest extent. Hydra is unique in that two smaller constellations lie atop it: Crater, the Cup, and Corvus, the Crow. In Greek mythology, Hydra is a mythical water snake which attacked Jason and his shipmates on the good ship Argo. In Roman myth, Corvus was commanded by Apollo to bring a cup of water, but got sidetracked by ripening grapes. Corvus tried to excuse his tardiness by blaming the snake. Do not confuse Hydra with the similar sounding constellation Hydrus. Hydrus is relatively modern. It was one of many, invented by explorers who ventured below the equator for the first time.