Skywatch Line for Wednesday and Thursday, April 3 and 4, 2024, written by Alan French
This is Dudley Observatory’s Skywatch Line for Wednesday and Thursday, April 3 and 4, 2024, written by Alan French.
The Sun rises at 6:33 A.M. on Wednesday and sets at 7:24 P.M. On Thursday it rises at 6:31 and sets at 7:26. This Thursday has 20 ¼ minutes more daylight than last Thursday.
The Moon was at last quarter on Tuesday and is moving toward new. This coming new Moon has a rendezvous with the Sun, and all the U.S. and Canada will see at least a partial solar eclipse as the Moon passes in front of the Sun. A path running from Texas up through western and northern eastern New York, and northern portions of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine will see a total solar eclipse. The center of this path cuts diagonally through New York, its center running through Buffalo, Watertown, and Plattsburgh. Entering Texas from Mexico the path was 120 miles wide, in New York 112 miles, and in Maine, 108 miles.
Explore an interactive eclipse map at a link in the comments. Clicking on a location will give details and times for the eclipse there. Note that the times are given in Universal Time (UT). Subtract 4 hours to get Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).
It is never safe to look at the Sun, even during a partial eclipse, its intense light – even a small sliver of it – can cause permanent eye damage. To safely view a solar eclipse, you need certified solar eclipse glasses, a shade #14 welder’s filter plate, or a certified solar filter. Telescopes need special filters too, designed for solar viewing with a telescope. The eyepiece “Sun” filters that were sold with telescopes decades ago are not safe. If in doubt, do not risk your eyesight! If you are fortunate enough to be where the Sun is totally eclipsed, revealing the beautiful solar corona, that is the only time it is safe to look at the Sun.
Extensive information on eclipses and safe eclipse viewing can be found at the Mr. Eclipse Link in the comments. See, especially, “Solar Eclipses for Beginners” and “Observing Eclipses Safely.”
Jupiter is in the west as darkness falls. It is 23 ½ degrees above the horizon at 8:00 P.M. and sets at 10:14 P.M. Mercury is now 5 ½ degrees high, halfway between west and west northwest, officially termed west by north, but at magnitude +2.4 is probably beyond the reach of binoculars against the twilight skies.
There is a nice pass of the Chinese space station, Tiangong, on Thursday morning, April 4. Tiangong will move out of the Earth’s shadow 13 degrees above the western horizon just before 5:47 A.M. It will pass to the south of Arcturus, the brightest star in Boötes, just after 5:48. By 5:49 Tiangong will be approaching magnitude -2.1 and gliding high above the southern horizon, approaching 69 degrees above the horizon. It will pass above Altair, in Aquila, just before 5:50 and will vanish in the east by 5:54.