What to watch: Jupiter near opposition. Starry sky in April: a short guide Starry sky in April

Three rare astronomical phenomena at once will be visible in the sky over Russia in April 2017.

Residents of Russia in April will be able to see several astronomical events - the opposition of Jupiter, the "elusive" Mercury and the Lyrid meteor shower, Anatoly Denisov, board member of the Association of Planetariums of Russia, director of the Ufa planetarium, said in an interview with TASS.

According to him, in the first half of April, you can try to find Mercury at sunset, which is called elusive due to the difficult accessibility for observations. The most favorable time for her observations comes when she is in the sky intkbbee farthest away from the sun.

According to him, in early April, Mercury will be visible within two hours after sunset, in the west, near the horizon as a bright star. After a week of good visibility, the brightness of Mercury will sharply weaken, it will be more and more difficult to find it against the background of a bright sky. By the middle of the month, the duration of its visibility will be greatly reduced. And on April 20, it will enter into lower conjunction with the Sun, that is, it will be on a straight line between the Earth and the Sun, ceasing to be visible.

Opposition or opposition of Jupiter will occur on April 7th. At this point, the planet will be in a straight line with the Earth and the Sun, with the Earth located in the middle. This time is the most favorable for observing the planet, as it will be at the smallest distance from the Earth and have the greatest brightness.

Jupiter rises in the evening, rises high above the horizon by the middle of the night, and sets in the morning. It is easy to find as it is the brightest "star" in the night sky. With binoculars near Jupiter, you can see its largest satellites - Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610. And with a telescope you can see the belts and zones of Jupiter and the famous Great Red Spot, said the director of the planetarium. Such a planet will be visible for about a month.

Another significant astronomical event of the month will be the Lyrid meteor shower, which operates from April 16 to 25. At this time, the Earth will pass through a swarm of dust particles left behind by the tail of Comet Thatcher (C/1861 G1). As a result, dust particles, flying into the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of 49 km/sec and burning up, will create a beautiful "shooting star" effect.

This year, the Lyrid maximum is expected in the morning hours of April 22, up to 20 meteors should be observed within an hour. The stream's radiant is visible all night, but the Lyrids are best observed from midnight until dawn, when the constellation Lyra rises high above the horizon. The waning Moon in a phase less than the last quarter will rise just before dawn and will not significantly interfere with the observation of meteors.

On April 7, Jupiter enters opposition to the Sun. Traditionally, the time near opposition (conditionally - a month before and a month after) is considered the most favorable for observing the outer planets.

• Firstly, during opposition, the planet is visible throughout the dark time of the day. It rises just after sunset and sets at dawn. Accordingly, it can be observed at the most convenient time: in the evening and in the first half of the night.
• Secondly, the angular dimensions of the planet near opposition are maximum, since the planet at this time is closer to the Earth than at other periods.

In April 2017, in the evenings, the planet is in the southeast. Picture: Stellarium

All this fully applies to Jupiter. And even more: spring 2017 - the best time to observe it is not only this year, but also for several years to come. Why?

Jupiter is now in the constellation Virgo, in the southern hemisphere of the celestial sphere. As a result, the planet does not rise high above the horizon: at the latitude of St. Petersburg, the maximum height of Jupiter is now about 24 °, at the latitude of Moscow - 28 °.

In April 2017, Jupiter culminates in the south around midnight. Picture: Stellarium

At the same time, the planet moves against the background of stars in an easterly direction: towards the constellations of Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius. These constellations are further south than the constellation Virgo. Remember how low the Sun floats above the horizon, being in the constellations of Scorpio and Sagittarius in November and December! The same story will happen with Jupiter: in the period from 2019 to 2021, the planet will be located very low above the horizon. And this, in turn, will negatively affect the quality of his observations: refraction, dust and air currents near the horizon will inevitably blur the details on the planet's disk in the telescope's eyepiece.

Therefore, if you want to enjoy the picture of Jupiter to the fullest, we advise you to start exploring the planet as soon as possible!

Read about how to find a planet in the spring of 2017.

What do you need to observe Jupiter?

Primarily, telescope. If you already have a telescope, start observing with it! Before observing, check the aperture of your instrument: the telescope objective must be greater than 60 mm if it is a refractor or greater than 75 mm if it is a reflector. Anything less is just a toy - you won't see anything interesting on Jupiter through this telescope.

If you don't have a telescope but are considering getting one, don't buy an expensive and complicated instrument! Buy the most easy-to-maintain, reliable and well-proven small telescope of a well-known brand (Celestron, Sky-Watcher, etc.). If you take a lens telescope, then a diameter of 70-100 mm will be enough for a start. If the mirror, then 90-130 mm telescopes will suit you. Such telescopes are quite mobile, do not take up very much space, and in the end they can be resold quite easily.

There is another reason not to take an expensive telescope specifically for planetary observations if you live in central Russia or, especially, in the north. In the coming years, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn - the best planets to observe - will be visible low on the horizon, and this eliminates the advantages of your telescope. Don't disappoint yourself!

The second thing you need is place for observation. You can also observe Jupiter in the city - the planet is bright enough for this, but the surrounding houses and trees can become a problem. Observations require an open horizon to the south. If you have a south-facing balcony (or loggia), you can watch from it, but warm air currents can spoil the image in the telescope if your house has poor thermal insulation. Do not watch through a window, even if it is open - the image quality will be very poor! It is better to take the telescope to the yard or to the park. Cover your instrument from lights to keep glare out of the lens.

The third thing you need cold tool. Any telescope needs to be thermally stabilized, in other words, the temperature of its optics must more or less equal the temperature of the air. Thermal stabilization of reflectors takes more time than refractors. The cooling time depends largely on the ambient temperature. If you have a small refractor, then in the spring 20-30 minutes will be enough for thermal stabilization. If a reflector, then it will take 2 times more time.

What can be observed on Jupiter?

Jupiter is one of the most fertile celestial objects for astronomy lovers. Even a small telescope can show a lot of details on the planet's disk. However, several conditions must be met for this to happen.

1. You must observe Jupiter systematically. From the first time on the disc, you are unlikely to be able to see everything that your telescope is capable of, due to the low contrast of most of the details on Jupiter. Remember that the experience has not been canceled yet!
2. The atmosphere during observations should be as calm as possible. Catching a "seeing" (from the English seeing) is not very easy, especially for regions where the number of observing nights is small. However, even on a turbulent night, when the stars twinkle strongly, you can catch a few seconds and even minutes of a great picture!
3. Your optics must be clean, and the telescope, as we indicated above, cooled down.
4. Sometimes, to enhance the contrast of details, observers use special filters. If you have any - experiment with them!

Details on the disk of Jupiter

Jupiter and its satellites. View through a small amateur telescope. Picture: Stellarium

The first thing that catches your eye when observing the planet - dark cloud belts and light zones in between. Even at a cursory glance, it is noticeable that the disk of Jupiter is crossed by brownish stripes of different widths and brightness. Having gained experience in visual observations, in these bands you can see a lot of interesting details - ledges, dark and light areas, loops and teeth. All this changes quite quickly with time: the period of rotation of Jupiter around its axis is about 10 hours. Therefore, each time you point the telescope at Jupiter, you will see a slightly different picture.

Next detail - Great Red Spot. In the clouds of Jupiter there are a large number of whirlwinds and hurricanes. The Great Red Spot (abbreviated as BRS) is the largest, most noticeable and longest storm on Jupiter. It is at least 300 years old (in fact, it could be much more), and the Spot is twice the size of the Earth! It will take some practice to see the BKP through a telescope, as over the past decades the brightness of the spot has been decreasing and for a beginner it almost blends into the surrounding background. Watching the BKP for an hour, you can see how it moves across the disk of Jupiter. The planet rotates very quickly, making one revolution in less than 10 hours, so during one January night you can see two passages of the Great Red Spot across the planet's disk.

Some of the details in Jupiter's atmosphere that experienced observers may notice. Picture: realsky.ru

Finally, extremely interesting phenomena can be observed through a telescope. phenomena in the system of Galilean satellites of Jupiter. The four largest satellites of the planet - Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto - are already visible through prismatic binoculars. And with a telescope, you can follow in detail their movement in orbits around Jupiter. Rotating around a giant planet, the satellites either hide behind the planet's disk or pass in front of it, casting tiny shadows on the planet and creating pictures of unforgettable beauty! You can find out when this or that event will occur in the satellite system, again, from the Astronomical calendar for 2017 or using the services of an electronic planetarium (Stellarium and others).

Jupiter and its two moons, Ganymede (left) and Io (right). The shadow of Ganymede is visible on the disk of the planet. A photo: Damian Peach

That, in fact, is all you need to know to start observing Jupiter. Believe me, this planet is capable of captivating with a little experience and patience shown at the very beginning of observations!

April 2017 is the second month of spring, which will test your strength in the field of relationships, as well as in financial and property matters.

You should prepare very carefully for April, as this month can be called month of retrograde planets.

Relative to an observer from the Earth, a retrograde planet turns around and begins to move in the opposite direction, which brings under the blows those areas of your life for which it is responsible. And in April 2017 as many as five planets will move retrograde: Pluto, Saturn, Jupiter, as well as Venus and Mercury.

The first half of April 2017 is not the best time for those who would like to establish or create new relationships, as well as for those who would like to make a major sale or purchase.

However, this moment is well suited for learning and creative self-realization.

Unfortunately, the influence of the negative aspect of Venus and Saturn can manifest itself in confusion of feelings, increased conflict, in addition, restrictions can affect both the personal and business spheres. For example, your money income may decrease, and the people you counted on in a difficult situation may go away.

• Pisces is a sign of the exaltation of Venus, where she manifests her qualities and properties very clearly. note that until April 15 the planet remains retrograde, so more caution is required in the realm of feelings and relationships, both personal and business.
• During this period, an influx of money from non-advertised sources is possible, or, conversely, unforeseen expenses.

• This period gives a powerful surge of energy, increased activity, increases passion and desire for change. The most difficult questions these days are amenable to solution if you persevere.
• This is a time of change, work to the limit. Matters that require immediate intervention and decisive action are on the agenda.

• This period can bring confusion and bad mood. These conditions can provoke discord with loved ones or partners, conflicts with management.
• Material losses, losses, shortages, theft, shortfall in profits are possible. Be careful.

• Be careful, as this period can provoke quarrels and problems in relationships.
• Negotiations started at this time may break down, reach a dead end or turn into trouble in the future.
• It is better to avoid investments, suspicious transactions. Be more careful if you have to sign agreements, contracts, documents, acts, etc. Caution should also be exercised in matters relating to money.

• A good period in order to improve, qualitatively change your love or family relationships, break routine ties, discard everything in your life that has outlived its own and no longer brings joy.
• This period has a profound transformative effect.

• During this period, special care will be required in the areas for which Mercury is responsible - speech, thinking, mediation, negotiations, important documents.
• Learn the detailed recommendations to get through this period without loss.

• During this period, you can discover talents in yourself that you did not notice before. There is an interest in everything new and original.
• If you wanted to overcome some internal limitations in your life, this is just the moment when it can be done easily and favorably.

• During this period, people become emotionally more open, feelings become bright, passionate, saturated.
• In the business world, the impact of this aspect may be that we take on what we like, and not what is necessary. At the same time, business negotiations are easy, new connections appear, contacts are established.

• Venus becomes direct and gradually picks up its usual speed. This is a signal for the end of the restrictions imposed by the retrograde of this planet in the financial sphere, the sphere of relations. Read about the features of the Venus retrograde period.
• If you have successfully sorted out your own values, both financial and personal, and made the right conclusions, then you can now move forward, relying on them.

IMPORTANT DATES APRIL 16 TO 30

The second half of the month, despite the restrictions imposed by retrograde Mercury, will be more harmonious. It is recommended to focus on routine matters or projects that require analysis, revision of what was conceived or done before.

This is an excellent period for delving into oneself, getting rid of the unnecessary, but to a greater extent this influence will be felt at the state level than on a personal level.

In the second half of April 2017, it is favorable to correct the mistakes made, to plan for the future. Unfortunately, although there will be a lot of ideas, putting them into practice will not be easy.

• This period helps to focus on a specific goal and achieve it. You will feel that you have become more serious, patient and restrained. Good time for long term planning.
• It is possible to achieve the location of the authorities, the support of professionals, the patronage of influential people, often older ones.

• This period is favorable for intellectual activity. There are answers to questions that have long tormented, solutions to pending tasks come.
• It is easy to make acquaintances, business and personal connections. Favorable for negotiations, concluding investigations, signing contracts, as well as for intellectual activity, training.
• Business life is activated, successful trips and business trips are possible.
• A good time to plan and prepare

• This is an active period for everyone who works with people, holds meetings and negotiations. Events and deeds of the second half of March may return to you, which will have to be completed or redone.
• Please note that it can be difficult to concentrate on one thing at this time.

• During this period, people become more stubborn, persistent, self-restrained, hardy, patient, purposeful.
• A good time for business, applying for a job, acquiring large, beautiful and expensive things.

• During this period, you will feel the movement in business, it is easier than usual to start something new, projects are moving quickly, without delay.
• Good time for learning. Favorable time for business trips and negotiations.

from 22 to 26 April 2017- Mercury in trine with Saturn.

• This period is favorable for serious matters, as attentiveness, accuracy and clarity increase, which allows you to avoid mistakes. Study will be successful.
• Good days for scientific research and experiments, putting things in order, compiling reports or references, planning, processing important papers.

• This period gives flashes of insight, a creative approach to solving many issues. Information itself finds the one who needs it.
• These days there may be changes at work. This may be the introduction of new methods or technologies, or the acquisition of new office equipment, the arrival of new employees, endowed with either special powers or special knowledge.

• Try to be more careful in the sphere of relationships during this period, as conflict increases, feelings can become aggravated.
• It is also recommended to be careful with large expenses, they can occur impulsively and not for what you really need.

Other influences of the month

In astro forecasting, I do not touch upon such a factor as the influence of the Moon, which is also important and strong. You can subscribe to the daily calendar of lunar days or read it directly on the site.

Timing of the video forecast for the signs of the zodiac:

From when you can listen to the forecast for your zodiac sign:

• Aries - starting at 03:02
• Taurus - starting at 09:36
• Gemini - starting at 14:30
• Cancer - starting at 19:20
• Leo - starting at 24:09
• Virgo - starting at 28:59
• Libra - starting at 33:24
• Scorpio - starting at 38:31
• Sagittarius - starting at 42:10
• Capricorn - starting at 46:27
• Aquarius - starting at 50:53
• Pisces - starting at 55:31

Have a successful month!

Best regards and best wishes,

There is nothing left until the new year 2017, which means that everyone who is not indifferent to the starry sky and who is not alien to the thirst for knowledge will be interested in getting acquainted with calendar of astronomical events coming year.

This article will be useful not only to avid astronomy lovers, but also to those who also wish to join the practical observation and study of future cosmic events. Also, 2017 is rich in round dates associated with people and events related to domestic space exploration.

We placed special emphasis on such a phenomenon as full moon. Since ancient times, people have associated various magical rites with the full moon; in many cultures, the full moon (or periods associated with it) were endowed with separate names.

For example, in this article, our readers will be able to find out how the full moons were called in one of the indigenous Indian tribes of North America. This is all the more interesting because this tradition was adopted by some European settlers.

Astronomy enthusiasts eager to watch the brilliance of asteroids roaming the outer space of our solar system in 2017 will not be able to do this. naked eye.

Read also:

Despite the fact that the brilliance of many objects will reach 9m(particularly asteroids Hebe, Irene, Metis and Eunomia), this insufficient for such an observation.. The so-called apparent magnitude (that is, a measure of the illumination created by a celestial body) Ceres, the smallest dwarf planet in our solar system, will be at the end of 2017 the value 7.4m.

The brightness of comets can also be observed using home telescopes. First of all, it's about comets. C/2015 V2 (Johnson), circumsolar non-periodic comet C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS), small comet Honda-Mrkosa-Paidusakova, a comet with a short period Tuttla-Giacobini-Cresac and comet with the shortest orbital period (3.3 years) 2P/Encke. However, if you are lucky with the weather, the brilliance of Encke's comet can be observed against the background of the February night sky. naked eye.

Of great interest in terms of observation in 2017 is Venus: due to the fact that it will be located much north of our star, the planet can be observed twice: evening and morning.

In 2017 (especially during the first months), observers have a wonderful opportunity to see Jupiter(including some details on the planet itself, especially the dark equatorial bands). The visibility of the giant will decrease October 26, at the time of the conjunction of Jupiter with the Sun, but after only a few days in the morning clear sky, this object can again be observed.

Mercury will be well viewed throughout the year, with the exception of the period from February 7 to March 7 when the planet comes into conjunction with the Sun. But Mars for a terrestrial observer, due to the proximity of the planet to the Sun in 2017, will not be the best object to observe. The red planet will come into conjunction with our luminary July 27, 2017.

In the coming 2017 it will be possible to fix 4 eclipses:

- 11 February happen penumbral lunar eclipse, when the Moon passes the so-called penumbra of the Earth (the region in which the Earth cannot completely obscure the Moon from the Sun). It is very difficult to fix this phenomenon from the surface of the Earth without appropriate instruments, since the human eye can hardly catch a slight darkening of the Moon;

- February 26 It will be marked annular solar eclipse when the Moon passing over the disk of our luminary is not able to close it completely due to the fact that for the observer the diameter of the Moon is less than the diameter of the Sun;

- August 7 The moon will be partially in the cone of the shadow region of the Earth, which means that it will be possible to talk about private lunar eclipse. Observers from the Earth will be able to see only that region of the satellite of our planet, which will be at that moment in the penumbra;

- August 21 residents of some localities in several states of the United States will be lucky enough to observe total solar eclipse. For most of the territory of our country, this eclipse will go unnoticed. However, private phases can only be recorded by residents of the Chukotka Peninsula and the extreme northeast of the country.

All astronomical events that are presented in this article are recorded according to Moscow time.

Astronomical calendar 2017

JANUARY

4 January - the peak of meteor shower activity quadrantides, whose activity time falls on the period from December 28 to January 12. The number of observed meteors per hour will be 120. The radiant of the star shower is in the constellation Bootes. As for Russia, residents of the Far East and the eastern regions of our country will be able to observe this stellar stream.

January 10 - The Moon is at perigee: at 09:01 it will be at its closest distance from the Earth in January 2017 - 363242.3 km.

January 12 – 110 years since the birth of Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, the founder of domestic practical cosmonautics.

January 12 - Full moon (peak - at 14:34). Full Wolf Moon - the hungry howl of numerous wolf packs darting around the villages of American Indians, gave the name to the January full moon.

January 18 - one of the largest asteroids in the main asteroid belt of our solar system will noticeably increase in brightness - asteroid Vesta. The apparent stellar magnitude will be 6.2m. However, this will not be enough to observe the object with the naked eye.

January 22 – Moon at apogee: at 03:12 the Moon will be at the point farthest from the Earth for January 2017 – 404911.4 km.

FEBRUARY

11 February - Full moon (peak - at 03:33). On this day, at 03:43 Moscow time, there will be penumbral lunar eclipse. With appropriate weather, it will be possible to record it from almost the entire territory of our country, except for the Russian Far East. Heavy snowfall during this period caused the American Indians to call the February full moon the Full Snow Moon. By the way, if snowfalls pass us during this period, then the eclipse can be observed with the naked eye.

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February 26 - New Moon (peak - at 17:59). The annular solar eclipse, which will occur on this day at 17:58 Moscow time, will be able to observe South Americans and residents of the territories of South and West Africa. Also, this eclipse will be able to fix a few scientists and researchers who carry out their difficult mission in Antarctica. In Russia, observers will not be able to fix this phenomenon.

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The last start is scheduled for the end of February Soviet carrier Soyuz-U(to launch a cargo ship "Progress MS-05"). In the future, Roskosmos will refuse to use these launch vehicles in favor of more modern ones, which are distinguished by a greater carrying capacity.

MARCH

March, 6 – Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova, the world's first female cosmonaut, is 80 years old.

March 12 - Full Moon (peak - at 17:53). Full Worm Moon (according to some Native American tribes). It is during this period that earthworms appear in large numbers on the surface of the earth, which is caused by the release of the earth from snow as a result of warming.

Astronomical Observations 2017

APRIL

April 11 - Full moon (peak - at 09:08). Full Pink Moon - this is what the American Indians called the April full moon. The reason for this was the flowers called Phlox (from the Greek - "flame"), which bloom in the April period in North America.

April 16-25 - The star shower of the Lyrids. The meteor shower peaks on April 22. Most clearly, this starfall phenomenon in the constellation Lyra will be viewed from that part of our planet that is located north of the equator. The expected activity of the Lyrid star stream in 2017 is no more than 16 meteors per hour. Interestingly, in 1982, the zenith hourly number, which characterizes the number of Lyrid meteors observed by the naked eye, reached 90.

MAY

May 11 - Full moon (peak - at 00:43). Full Flower Moon - An intense spring bloom period may well be the reason the American Indians named the May full moon that way.

JUNE

the 9th of June - Full moon (peak - at 16:10). Full Strawberry Moon - obviously, during this period, the tribes of the American Indians picked strawberries (however, given the fact that ordinary garden strawberries were first bred in Europe by the middle of the 18th century, we are talking, most likely, about some kind of strawberry - perhaps virgin strawberry).

21st of June – Summer Solstice for the inhabitants of the northern hemisphere of the planet - the longest day of the year. Time - 07:24.

JULY

July 9 - Full moon (peak - at 07:07). The Full Thunder Moon is a period of intense thunderstorms, which gave American Indians the reason to call the July full moon that way. Another popular name is due to the fact that this period is related to the intensive ossification of the antlers of North American deer (non-ossified bone tissue of future horns) and, accordingly, to the maturation of males. The Indians said so - the Full Moon of Males.

Astronomical objects 2017

AUGUST

August 7 - Full moon (peak - at 21:11). The American Indians during this period enjoyed a rich fishing industry associated with the exodus of sturgeon from the Great Lakes. Hence the name of the August full moon - the Full Sturgeon Moon. On this day, almost all residents of Russia, except for the Far East region, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia will be able to observe partial lunar eclipse.

August 21 - New Moon (peak - at 21:30). The day on which there will be a total solar eclipse. Private phases of this phenomenon on the territory of Russia can be recorded only from some territories of Chukotka and Kamchatka. Notably, the residents of the small town of Carbondale, Illinois, will have a unique chance to observe a total eclipse event twice within a short period of time - August 21, 2017 and April 8, 2024. The longest duration of the total phase of the eclipse in the coming year will be 2 minutes 40 seconds for an earthly observer.

SEPTEMBER

6 September - Full moon (peak - at 10:04). The Full Corn Moon is the period when the American Indians harvest not only corn, but also many other crops. Therefore, the September full moon was also often called the Full Harvest Moon.

September 17 – 160th anniversary of the birth of the founder of Russian theoretical cosmonautics, Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky.

September 22nd - The day of the autumn equinox, when the same length of day and night in a given period marks the onset of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere of the planet and the end of winter in the Southern. Time - 21:02.

April, the middle of spring! The time when the day grows by leaps and bounds. Every day the Sun rises higher in the sky, and if at the beginning of the month the night was still struggling with the day for dominance, then at the end of April in temperate latitudes the first signs of white nights already appear.

The starry sky and bright winter constellations are also rapidly leaving. Taurus, Orion, Canis Major and Canis Minor, Charioteer and Gemini - all these constellations are still clearly visible in the evenings in the west in the first half of April, but at the end of the month almost all of them will go beyond the horizon.

What is the sky before the eyes of the observer in April? First of all, it very dark. There are few bright stars in the April sky, and the eye of a person who is just starting to study the constellations simply has nothing to catch on - most of the spring constellations are so plain.

Dark April sky. Picture: Stellarium

Therefore, at first it makes sense to describe the position of bright stars in April. Based on them, you can memorize the drawings of the main spring constellations and thus learn how to navigate the April sky.

Bright Stars in April

So, mid-April, evening. The most expressive picture of the sky at this time of day is observed in the west. Here, winter constellations lean towards the horizon, which include many bright stars.

But in 2018, the beautiful planet Venus burns brightest in the west, which becomes noticeable almost immediately after sunset in the constellation Aries.

In the April evening sky in 2018, the first thing that catches the eye is Venus, which shines in the rays of the evening dawn. Picture: Stellarium

Above the remnants of the evening dawn shines a yellowish Chapel. Lower her orange Aldebaran, heading the constellation Taurus (on ancient maps, this star marked the red eye of an angry bull). A little to the east of these two stars, the beautiful seven-star Orion, headed by a bright red star, sets beyond the horizon. Betelgeuse. Two rather bright stars above Orion - Castor And Pollux leading the constellation Gemini. They are located to the left of the Chapel and slightly above it. Floats low in the southeast, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow, Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. Above it, halfway to Castor and Pollux, another bright star is visible. This Procyon, alpha of Canis Minor.

By the end of April, only Chapel, Procyon, and the twin brothers Castor and Pollux will remain of this beautiful picture. The rest of the stars will go below the horizon.

Now let's look south. One more or less bright star is visible here. Her name - Regulus, is the main star of the constellation Leo. Two more bright stars are in the southeast - orange Arcturus and bluish spica. Together they form a huge triangle, inside of which there is nothing memorable. True, in different years this starless kingdom is decorated with bright planets. So, in 2016, Jupiter was in the constellation Leo (next to the star Regulus), and in 2027, Jupiter and Mars will appear simultaneously in the same constellation. Also, the Moon moves along the line Regulus - Spica every month. In April, our satellite moves from Regulus to Spica, moving from the phase of the first quarter to the full moon.

Mid-April, evening, south side of the sky. Discreet spring constellations Leo, Virgo, Hydra, Chalice and other huge area. Regulus, Spica and Arcturus are the three brightest stars in this region of the sky. Picture: Stellarium

Finally, two more bright stars are visible near the horizon in the northeast. This Vega And Deneb, the top two stars that will shine high in the sky in the south from August to October.

What constellations are visible in April?

Now let's look west again, where a good dozen stars of 2nd magnitude and brighter are visible in early and mid-April at nightfall. First of all, the constellation of Orion attracts attention, which is easy to recognize thanks to the seven stars that form the figure of a mythical hero: the bright red star Betelgeuse and the white star Bellatrix mark the shoulders of the hunter, three stars in a row - Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka - form, and the two lower stars - Saif and bright Rigel are his legs.

Western sky in April one hour after sunset. Bright winter constellations are fading. Picture: Stellarium

The constellation of Gemini is two chains of stars going from Castor and Pollux to the horizon. It is quite easy to recognize in them the figures of two brothers standing in an embrace. The constellation Taurus consists mainly of the head of a bull and its horns, which are marked by not very bright stars between Orion and Capella. The constellation Canis Major went almost entirely below the horizon in April, while the constellation Canis Minor consists of just one bright star, Procyon.

But these are all winter constellations, leaving during April from the picture of the night sky.

The spring constellations, which are visible in the south and southeast in April, due to their inexpressiveness, it makes sense to look for, starting from the three main stars, Regula, Spica and Arcturus.

Surroundings of the constellation Leo. Picture: Stellarium

It leads the constellation Leo, which can be recognized by the characteristic trapezoid of four stars. Regulus marks the lower right corner of the trapezoid, and the lower left corner marks the 2nd magnitude star Denebola.

The trapezium is the torso of Leo, and three more dim stars make up his head, forming, together with Regulus, the asterism "Sickle". The animal, as it were, lies in the sky, sensitively peering towards Orion and other winter constellations.

To the right and below the trapezoid of Leo is a vast space filled with rather dim stars. The brightest of them, heads the constellation Hydra, which is known for being the largest area in the sky among all 88 constellations. In the city, the Hydra constellation is difficult to see; let's just say that it is a long chain of dim stars, part of which remains under the horizon at the latitudes of Moscow, Kiev and St. Petersburg.

To the north of Hydra are three unremarkable constellations. The most inconspicuous of them - Sextant - can hardly be seen in a big city. The same can be said about the constellation of the Chalice, but the constellation of the Crow, floating low above the horizon, can be recognized by its characteristic compact quadrangle.

The main star patterns of the evening sky in April: the Big Dipper Bucket, the stars Arcturus, Spica and Regulus. Picture: Stellarium

If you raise your head up, then we will see the constellation and the famous. The bucket itself faces the winter constellations and, in particular, the star Capella in the west, and the handle of the Bucket points to the bright orange star Arcturus, which is located in the southeast on April evenings. This is one of the three brightest stars in the spring sky (together with Regulus and Spica) and, by the way, the brightest of them.

Arcturus heads the constellation Bootes, which is recognizable by the dome pattern of 5 stars over Arcturus, reminiscent of a parachute opening over a paratrooper star. Continuing down the line from the handle of the Big Dipper to Arcturus, we will come to Spica, the third star of the first magnitude in the April sky.

Spica is a hot bluish-white star, but in the middle latitudes it never rises high above the horizon and therefore often twinkles and shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow, like Sirius. She leads the constellation Virgo. This rather large constellation consists of dim stars of the 3rd and 4th magnitude. The brightest star after Spica, Epsilon Virgo, is located on the continuation of the base of the Regulus trapezoid - Denebola, and the only slightly memorable pattern of the constellation forms Spica and three more stars - a large irregular quadrangle.

Continuing the line Regulus - Denebola we will come to the star epsilon Virgo, which has the beautiful name Vindemiatrix. Picture: Stellarium

Between the trapezoid of Leo and the “parachute” of Bootes, above the constellation Virgo and under the handle of the Bucket, there is a vast starless space. Only outside the city, on a dark and transparent night, the eye distinguishes here a scattering of dim stars that form the constellation Coma Veronica. In this constellation, powerful telescopes observe thousands of galaxies like the Milky Way. Finally, above the constellation Coma Veronica, directly under the handle of the Bucket, almost at the zenith, another rather bright star is visible. It is the brightest star in the small constellation Canes Venatici, which also contains a large number of distant galaxies.

View of the April starry sky at different times of the day

We have described the view of the starry sky in April, its constellations and its brightest stars. But this description refers to the evening time, an hour or two after sunset. And how does the starry sky change in April over time?

As you know, the picture of the starry sky, together with all the stars, the Moon and planets, moves during the day from left to right, that is, from east to west, reflecting the rotation of the Earth. In an hour, the picture shifts by 15 °, in three hours - by 45 °, in six hours - by 90 ° (a quarter of a full turn). Since the April night in middle latitudes lasts about 9 hours (at the beginning of the month it is longer, at the end of the month it is shorter), during this time the picture of the constellations has time to change significantly.

Late at night in April, the constellations of the Northern Crown, Hercules, Serpens, Ophiuchus, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius are visible in the south. Note the bright planets Jupiter, Mars and Saturn visible along the horizon. Picture: Stellarium

At midnight, the constellation Leo shifts to the west. The stars Arcturus and Spica are now visible in the south. In the southeastern part of the sky, the constellations Libra, Serpent and Ophiuchus rise. To the east of Arcturus, a compact chain of stars is visible, forming a semicircle. This is the constellation of the Northern Crown. To the left of this small constellation is the vast constellation Hercules, and bright white stars and are visible even further in the east. With the exception of Vega and Deneb, no new bright stars appear in the sky. As we have already said, the April sky is very stingy with expressive constellations.

Late at night, the northern part of the constellation Scorpio appears over the horizon along with the bright red star Antares. Scorpio and its main star are visible very low on the horizon in the south, under the constellation Ophiuchus. It is precisely because of the low position of Antares that people living at the latitude of Moscow or St. Petersburg often do not notice.

Leo, Virgo, Libra, Ophiuchus and Scorpio - it is through these constellations that the path of the Sun, Moon and planets lies against the background of stars. Therefore, it is not surprising that bright planets appear in these constellations from time to time, distorting the usual star patterns. In April 2018, bright Jupiter is in the constellation of Libra. Mars and Saturn can also be seen in the morning sky, low on the horizon in the constellation Sagittarius. (This constellation is adjacent to the eastern borders of Scorpio and Ophiuchus.)

Pre-dawn sky in April 2018 (April 15 at 4-5 a.m.), southeastern part. At this time, it is very easy to find the summer triangle formed by the stars Vega, Deneb and Altair. The constellation Cygnus is also very expressive. Picture: Stellarium

If you're lucky with the weather and away from city lights, look east in the wee hours, where the Summer Triangle rises at this time. In the constellations Cygnus and Eagle, you can admire the Milky Way - those very sections of it that will be visible overhead on dark August and September evenings.