The evening sky continues to be filled with bright stars and planets as we head into springtime, and you will be well advised to get out your binoculars or telescope, or visit an observatory (e.g. Washburn Observatory, http://www.astro.wisc.edu/the-public/public-observing-at-washburn, or visit UW Space Place, http://spaceplace.wisc.edu) for a look at the plentiful planets. But just walking out into the backyard or wherever you can find a clear sky will be sure to be worth the effort! Jupiter sets ever earlier, but you can still find it easily before 9 p.m. or so, and just above it is Venus, becoming even brighter all month. And a bit to the south we still have the brilliant winter stars of Taurus, Orion, and Canis Major. It's quite a show!

Venus remains the most prominent right on into mid-May, but on the nights April 2nd and 3rd (and even a day or so before and after), look for Venus in the west in the early evening to see it brush the southern edge of the well known star cluster commonly called the Seven Sisters, or, more properly, the Pleiades. You can easily see how much Venus moves from night to night as we watch its orbital motion carry it eastward right past the star cluster. Binoculars will show you the cluster and planet more clearly, and a small telescope will even show you Venus as it slims beyond its "quarter-moon" phase. (see image) Keep watching its diameter increase even as it slims to a crescent. (And check back to this page in May to find out more about the upcoming Transit of Venus in early June.)

A little later in the evening, look east for Mars and Saturn, near the bright stars Regulus (in Leo) and Spica (in Virgo) respectively. (see image) And just to the north is brilliant Arcturus. So, another spectacular collection of objects! On the evening of the 4th, look for the Moon to show up in the same neighborhood. But as usual, it will move on by in only a couple of days leaving you with a dark sky and bright stars and planets.

Meteor fans won't want to miss this year's Lyrid meteor shower, which peaks on the night of 22 April, the day after new moon and hence prime meteor-viewing conditions. It's more important to find a dark sky than to worry about where to find Lyra, because meteor trails are visible over a wide area of the sky; but most of them are faint. Facing generally northeast, where Lyra is rising, is probably optimal. Best viewing hours, as usual, will be between midnight and dawn. Keep your eyes on the skies this month!

From the University of Wisconsin's "Space Place"
Villager Mall, 2300 S Park Street, Madison

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