Astronomy Guide April 2023

Dear Stargazer Friends,

I hope you have been well. April is still “Galaxy time”, as well as an ideal moment for a “Messier objects marathon” – see list of some Messier objects below.

The “Spring Triangle” – with the stars Arcturus, Spica and Regulus forming an imaginary triangle connecting the constellations of Boötes, Virgo, and Leo – now appears well before midnight. Vega, the herald of summer, can be observed just before midnight. It’s also the month with the Lyrids Meteor Shower. Peak will be on the night of 22-23 April with the Moon only 9% full.

Our neighboring Planet Venus continues to be a bright and beautiful sight in the evenings (W). It will move from the constellation of Aries to the constellation of Taurus on 9 April. On 10 April, it will appear 3° south of the Pleiades (M45). 

Finally, a rare type of solar eclipse will occur on the night of 19 to 20 April 2023. It’s called a “hybrid solar eclipse”. Unfortunately, it won’t be visible from Europe. It will be partially visible from most of Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Southeast Asia and the western Pacific Ocean. For details on this fascinating phenomena, check this article at the “BBC Sky at Night” website. 

Best wishes and clear skies,

Isa 

Needle Galaxy / NGC 4565 – Picture by Isabel Streit 2022

Moon phases April

Times for Bern, Switzerland (CET)

PhaseDate
Full Moon06 April, 06:34
Third Quarter13 April, 11:11
New Moon20 April, 06:12
First Quarter27 April, 23:19 
Source: timeanddate.com

Meteor Showers April

Lyrids
15 – 29 April 2023
Peak on the 22-23 April 2023 night (Moon 9% full).  The Lyrids are a medium strength shower that produces good rates for three nights centered on the maximum. The meteors can produce fireballs and are best seen from the northern hemisphere. Radiant around 7° south of Vega.  Parent object is Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher)
Waxing Crescent Moon and Venus, 24.3.2023 – Picture by Isabel Streit 2023

Planets

Mercury will be visible in the evening – April is actually the only time this year where the planet can be observed at dusk. Best evenings are between 3 and 13 April. 

Venus continues to be a bright and beautiful sight in the evenings. It will move from the constellation of Aries to the constellation of Taurus on 9 April. On 10 April, it will appear 3° south of the Pleiades (M45). On 20 April 8° north of Aldebaran.

Mars currently appears in the constellation of Gemini (W). It’s magnitude will further loose in magnitude as the month progresses (from approx. 1.0 on 3 April to mag. 1.3 on 30 April).

Jupiter is currently not visible. It will be back towards the end of May appearing the constellation of Aries (early mornings).

Saturn is currently not visible. It will make a comeback end of April/early May appearing in the constellation of Aquarius (early mornings).

Uranus is currently unobservable.

Neptune will not be observable until end of June.

Phenomena not to miss in April

The “Spring Triangle” is visible before midnight – with the stars Arcturus, Spica and Regulus forming an imaginary triangle connecting the constellations of Boötes, Virgo and Leo. Vega, the herald of summer, can be observed just before midnight.

April is still “Galaxy” time, ideal to take observe or take pictures of the Needle Galaxy (NGC 4565) in the constellation of Coma Berenices or the Sombrero Galaxy (M104) in the constellation of Virgo. The Virgo Cluster with around 1’300 galaxies (possibly up to 2’000) is equally fascinating. It forms the heart of the larger Virgo Supercluster, of which the Local Group incl. our Milky Way is a member. 

DateTime (CET)Phenomena
06 Spica 3.3°S of Moon
10Early morningAntares 1.5°S of Moon
10EveningVenus 3°S of Pleiades
1123:00Jupiter in Conjunction with Sun 
1605:00Saturn 3.5°N of Moon
1714:00Venus at Perihelion 
2005:00Hybrid Solar Eclipse; mag=1.013 (not visible from Europe)
2320:00Venus 2.6°S of Moon
2601:00Mars 3.2°S of Moon

Bright Stars

NameMag.RiseTransitElev.Set
Sirius-1.4513h52m18h41m+26°20’00.52″23h31m
Vega0.0020h27m6h35m+81°50’15.31″16h43m
Capella0.0517h13m+88°57’23.55″
Rigel0.1511h42m17h11m+34°53’52.25″22h40m
Arcturus0.1518h41m2h13m+62°07’07.64″9h45m
Procyon0.4013h09m19h36m+48°13’32.77″2h02m
Betelgeuse0.4511h15m17h51m+50°28’19.86″0h28m
Aldebaran0.859h13m16h32m+59°36’46.51″23h51m
Spica0.9520h08m1h23m+31°47’44.69″6h38m
Pollux1.1511h18m19h42m+71°00’51.58″4h07m
Deneb1.258h40m+88°16’34.04″
Regulus1.3515h09m22h05m+54°54’22.84″5h02m
Adhara1.5015h15m18h55m+14°06’35.62″22h34m
Bellatrix1.6010h49m17h21m+49°25’57.27″23h53m
Elnath1.658h54m17h23m+71°40’33.11″1h52m
Alnilam1.6511h33m17h32m+41°52’46.48″23h32m
Mirfak1.7515h21m+86°59’03.80″
Alioth1.750h51m+81°06’49.05″
Wezen1.8015h08m19h05m+16°40’23.96″23h01m
Alnitak1.8511h41m17h37m+41°08’12.79″23h33m
Alkaid1.851h45m+87°44’04.66″
Menkalinan1.9017h56m+87°56’02.97″
Alhena1.9011h16m18h34m+59°26’02.76″1h52m
Castor1.9010h38m19h31m+74°52’42.11″4h25m
Polaris1.9514h56m+47°36’04.51″
Mirzam1.9513h36m18h19m+25°06’59.79″23h02m
Alphard1.9515h58m21h24m+34°18’36.97″2h51m
Hamal2.006h06m14h03m+66°37’43.18″22h00m
Dubhe2.0023h01m+75°18’34.04″
On 15 April 2023 – Source: Stellarium.org

Galaxies

NameMag.RiseTransitElev.SetAng. Size
IC 10 (Starburst Galaxy)9.5012h16m+77°31’46.16″+0°05’00.00″
M 31 (Andromeda Galaxy)3.441h39m12h38m+84°26’39.01″23h37m+2°05’24.00″
M 328.081h50m12h38m+84°02’27.63″23h27m+0°07’30.00″
M 33 (Triangulum Galaxy)5.724h45m13h30m+73°49’57.04″22h14m+0°55’09.00″
M 498.3017h49m0h27m+50°56’14.41″7h06m+0°09’15.00″
M 51 (Whirlpool Galaxy)8.101h27m+89°42’27.73″+0°09’03.00″
M 589.6617h39m0h35m+54°45’13.40″7h31m+0°05’18.00″
M 609.8017h46m0h41m+54°29’19.87″7h36m+0°06’42.00″
M 61 (Swelling Spiral Galaxy)9.6517h56m0h19m+47°24’43.14″6h42m+0°06’09.00″
M 63 (Sunflower Galaxy)8.5913h57m1h13m+84°57’13.47″12h29m+0°09’54.00″
M 64 (Black Eye Galaxy)8.5217h09m0h54m+64°36’57.43″8h39m+0°07’55.14″
M 66 (Leo Triplet)8.9216h16m23h17m+55°54’48.54″6h19m+0°06’39.00″
M 74 (Phantom Galaxy)9.396h16m13h32m+58°57’42.11″20h48m+0°10’00.00″
M 81 (Bode’s Galaxy)6.9421h53m+67°59’31.41″+0°20’30.00″
M 82 (Cigar Galaxy)8.4121h54m+67°22’41.87″+0°07’45.00″
M 8510.0016h56m0h23m+61°07’23.66″7h49m+0°06’18.00″
M 86 (Faust V051)8.9017h22m0h24m+55°52’49.40″7h25m+0°07’21.00″
M 87 (Virgo Galaxy)8.6317h30m0h28m+55°19’33.74″7h27m+0°07’00.00″
M 899.7517h34m0h33m+55°29’28.28″7h32m+0°04’54.00″
M 909.5417h32m0h34m+56°05’52.19″7h36m+0°06’57.00″
M 94 (Croc’s Eye Galaxy)8.2414h00m0h48m+84°02’35.68″11h37m+0°10’09.00″
M 959.7315h46m22h41m+54°37’59.84″5h36m+0°03’00.00″
M 969.2515h48m22h44m+54°44’56.11″5h40m+0°06’24.00″
M 99 (Virgo Cluster Pinwheel)9.8717h08m0h16m+57°21’00.00″7h24m+0°05’03.00″
M 100 (Blowdryer Galaxy)9.3517h05m0h20m+58°45’19.49″7h35m+0°06’51.00″
M 101 (Pinwheel Galaxy)7.862h00m+82°42’27.92″+0°27’51.00″
M 102 (Spindle Galaxy)9.893h04m+81°16’16.08″+0°04’48.00″
M 104 (Sombrero Galaxy)8.0019h25m0h37m+31°19’42.86″5h50m+0°06’06.00″
M 1059.7615h46m22h45m+55°30’35.42″5h44m+0°05’06.00″
M 1068.410h16m+89°41’57.85″+0°12’54.00″
M 1108.071h23m12h36m+84°51’38.03″23h48m+0°16’27.00″
NGC 1479.5012h29m+88°17’59.49″+0°10’30.00″
NGC 1859.2012h34m+88°28’10.00″+0°10’51.00″
IC 342 (Maffei 1 Group)9.1015h44m+68°47’04.53″+0°21’09.00″
NGC 24038.9019h34m+71°23’46.77″+0°17’06.00″
NGC 29979.4118h19m21h42m+11°49’31.61″1h06m+0°07’46.02″
NGC 3115 (Spindle Galaxy)9.9016h32m22h02m+35°14’11.26″3h33m+0°04’51.00″
NGC 3344 (Sliced Onion Galaxy)9.8614h37m22h41m+67°50’28.93″6h45m+0°04’31.05″
NGC 39239.8020h08m23h48m+14°10’23.85″3h28m+0°03’33.69″
NGC 4244 (Silver Needle Galaxy)10.0014h23m0h15m+80°43’51.86″10h07m+0°09’15.00″
NGC 4449 (The Box Galaxy)9.400h25m+87°00’39.96″+0°05’18.00″
NGC 4631 (Whale Galaxy)9.1915h41m0h39m+75°28’08.43″9h38m+0°06’00.87″
NGC 4753 (Dust Devil Galaxy)9.9518h51m0h50m+41°44’39.90″6h48m+0°03’24.30″
NGC 6946 (Fireworks Galaxy)9.608h33m+76°42’27.18″+0°10’39.00″
PGC 29488 (Regulus Dwarf Galaxy)10.0015h07m22h05m+55°14’42.06″5h04m+0°10’05.67″
On 15 April 2023 – Source: Stellarium.org

Clusters of Galaxies

NameMag.RiseTransitElev.Set
Abell 26013.104h42m13h48m+76°19’46.88″22h53m
Abell 26212.104h13m13h49m+79°18’38.79″23h24m
Abell 40013.108h23m14h53m+49°10’10.65″21h24m
Abell 40113.607h50m14h55m+56°44’05.77″22h00m
Abell 53713.2317h23m+63°03’13.10″
Abell 56911.8019h06m+88°16’07.24″
Abell 57613.6019h19m+81°14’17.79″
Abell 67113.8011h44m20h25m+73°22’10.99″5h07m
Abell 75413.6015h44m21h06m+33°20’24.88″2h28m
Abell 77911.5012h08m21h17m+76°41’41.07″6h26m
Abell 95712.8016h11m22h11m+42°01’15.15″4h10m
Abell 97813.4016h42m22h17m+36°25’21.07″3h53m
Abell 99313.4016h36m22h19m+38°03’25.11″4h02m
Abell 99913.3015h20m22h20m+55°47’49.94″5h21m
Abell 103513.9011h59m22h29m+83°09’01.24″9h00m
Abell 110013.9014h57m22h46m+65°09’38.79″6h34m
Abell 112613.6015h31m22h51m+59°45’50.83″6h11m
Abell 113913.8016h45m22h55m+44°32’19.50″5h06m
Abell 114212.8016h08m22h58m+53°28’54.44″5h48m
Abell 117713.2015h21m23h07m+64°36’42.84″6h52m
Abell 118512.8014h39m23h08m+71°38’12.08″7h37m
Abell 121313.7014h41m23h14m+72°10’03.81″7h46m
Abell 122813.1014h06m23h19m+77°07’12.64″8h32m
Abell 125413.6023h24m+66°00’19.80″
Abell 127513.6013h49m23h27m+79°31’10.94″9h05m
Abell 129113.9023h29m+81°01’16.66″
Abell 131412.6023h32m+87°52’27.34″
Abell 131812.2023h33m+82°00’29.31″
Abell 1367 (Leo Cluster)11.6016h07m23h42m+62°36’49.64″7h16m
Abell 1377 (Ursa Major I)13.7023h45m+81°19’40.26″
Abell 138313.7023h45m+82°26’44.86″
Abell 146813.800h03m+85°39’11.82″
Abell 154111.3017h43m0h25m+51°45’27.86″7h07m
Abell 163111.0019h55m0h50m+27°31’49.95″5h45m
Abell 164413.9020h09m0h55m+25°33’05.04″5h40m
Abell 1656 (Coma Cluster)10.7016h33m0h57m+70°54’42.28″9h21m
Abell 169113.6014h55m1h09m+82°12’14.99″11h22m
Abell 174913.8015h37m1h27m+80°33’21.10″11h17m
Abell 178113.6017h08m1h43m+72°28’07.72″10h18m
Abell 180013.5017h23m1h47m+71°00’31.89″10h12m
Abell 180913.9019h25m1h51m+48°05’22.24″8h17m
Abell 183113.9017h33m1h57m+70°56’00.25″10h21m
Abell 183713.6020h44m1h59m+31°50’08.22″7h14m
Abell 189013.5019h36m2h15m+51°08’09.50″8h55m
Abell 190413.602h20m+88°27’16.74″
Abell 192713.4018h20m2h29m+68°35’23.88″10h37m
Abell 198313.4019h31m2h50m+59°42’35.78″10h10m
Abell 199113.3019h23m2h52m+61°35’39.93″10h21m
Abell 202913.2020h40m3h09m+48°44’16.70″9h38m
Abell 206313.2020h39m3h21m+51°37’08.40″10h02m
Abell 210713.2019h51m3h37m+64°45’10.05″11h24m
Abell 212413.2018h10m3h43m+79°02’05.88″13h15m
Abell 214713.4020h45m4h00m+58°53’18.85″11h16m
Abell 2151 (Hercules Cluster)13.0020h38m4h03m+60°44’32.42″11h28m
Abell 215212.7020h45m4h03m+59°26’34.94″11h21m
Abell 219712.3017h40m4h26m+83°53’31.66″15h11m
Abell 219912.6118h08m4h26m+82°30’45.90″14h45m
Abell 225613.804h59m+58°16’25.06″
Abell 227113.905h13m+58°57’59.67″
Abell 231912.907h19m+86°59’42.61″
Abell 337413.5013h27m17h53m+21°49’52.85″22h19m
On 15 April 2023 – Source: Stellarium.org

Messier Objects

NameMag.RiseTransitElev.SetAng. Size
M 687.3020h42m0h35m+16°14’12.83″4h29m+0°05’30.00″
M 104 (Sombrero Galaxy)8.0019h23m0h36m+31°19’45.20″5h49m+0°06’06.00″
M 537.7017h42m1h09m+61°06’23.93″8h35m+0°06’30.00″
M 83 (Southern Pinwheel Galaxy)7.5422h00m1h33m+13°08’14.40″5h06m+0°12’12.00″
M 36.2017h12m1h38m+71°19’05.08″10h05m+0°09’00.00″
M 101 (Pinwheel Galaxy)7.861h59m+82°42’46.13″+0°27’51.00″
M 5 (Rose Cluster)6.6521h02m3h15m+45°03’53.12″9h28m+0°11’30.00″
M 807.8723h57m4h14m+20°03’47.18″8h30m+0°05’00.00″
M 4 (Crab Globular Cluster)5.900h25m4h20m+16°31’36.27″8h16m+0°13’00.00″
M 13 (Great Star Cluster in Hercules)5.8019h01m4h38m+79°28’10.91″14h15m+0°13’57.30″
M 12 (Gumball Globular Cluster)7.6822h48m4h44m+41°04’48.17″10h39m+0°08’00.00″
M 106.4023h07m4h54m+38°56’06.09″10h40m+0°10’00.00″
M 62 (Flickering Globular Cluster)7.391h26m4h58m+12°58’29.03″8h30m+0°07’30.00″
M 197.471h02m4h59m+16°48’14.46″8h57m+0°08’30.00″
M 926.405h13m+86°09’25.38″+0°07’00.00″
M 235.501h16m5h54m+24°05’58.48″10h32m+0°12’30.00″
M 16 (Eagle Nebula)6.001h12m6h16m+29°16’55.84″11h19m+1°12’30.00″
M 18 (Black Swan Cluster)6.901h29m6h17m+25°59’32.07″11h04m+0°03’30.00″
M 17 (Omega Nebula)6.001h26m6h18m+26°55’16.85″11h10m+0°35’00.00″
M 268.001h19m6h42m+33°42’57.45″12h06m+0°05’00.00″
M 11 (Wild Duck Cluster)6.301h11m6h48m+36°49’45.59″12h25m+0°07’00.00″
M 71 (Angelfish Cluster)6.100h20m7h51m+61°53’46.70″15h21m+0°03’36.00″
M 27 (Dumbbell Nebula)7.400h04m7h56m+65°50’20.75″15h49m+0°06’48.00″
M 29 (Cooling Tower Cluster)6.6022h16m8h21m+81°38’28.20″18h25m+0°05’00.00″
M 394.609h29m+88°21’15.49″+0°15’30.00″
M 52 (Cassiopeia Salt-and-Pepper Cluster)6.9011h22m+75°13’31.97″+0°08’00.00″
M 1037.4013h32m+76°10’18.01″+0°03’00.00″
M 34 (Spiral Cluster)5.2014h37m+85°54’48.35″+0°12’30.00″
M 38 (Starfish Cluster)6.407h53m17h24m+78°55’36.60″2h55m+0°07’30.00″
M 36 (Pinwheel Cluster)6.008h18m17h31m+77°12’29.87″2h45m+0°05’00.00″
M 37 (January Salt-and-Pepper Cluster)5.608h48m17h47m+75°36’46.00″2h47m+0°07’30.00″
M 35 (Shoe-Buckle Cluster)5.1010h03m18h04m+67°23’12.13″2h05m+0°12’30.00″
M 485.8014h30m20h09m+37°15’08.51″1h48m+0°15’00.00″
M 44 (Beehive Cluster)3.1013h01m20h36m+62°38’31.34″4h10m+0°35’00.00″
M 67 (Golden-Eye Cluster)6.9013h51m20h47m+54°46’26.74″3h42m+0°12’30.00″
M 81 (Bode’s Galaxy)6.9421h52m+67°59’45.61″+0°20’30.00″
On 15 April 2023 – Source: Stellarium.org

Globular Star Clusters

NameMag.RiseTransitElev.Set
M 36.2017h13m1h40m+71°18’55.52″10h06m
M 13 (Great Star Cluster in Hercules)5.8019h02m4h39m+79°27’37.45″14h16m
M 537.7017h44m1h10m+61°06’18.41″8h37m
M 687.3020h43m0h37m+16°14’10.94″4h31m
M 798.5613h12m17h20m+18°35’43.71″21h28m
M 926.405h15m+86°07’54.06″
NGC 22988.8916h03m18h45m+7°08’21.42″21h27m
NGC 2419 (Intergalactic Wanderer)9.069h27m19h35m+81°51’30.54″5h43m
NGC 4147 (Kick the Can Cluster)10.7416h39m0h07m+61°28’25.61″7h36m
NGC 50539.9617h50m1h14m+60°38’16.62″8h38m
NGC 5466 (Snowglobe Cluster)9.7017h35m2h03m+71°28’41.20″10h31m
NGC 6229 (Prize Comet Globular Cluster)9.864h44m+89°18’10.86″
On 15 April 2023 – Source: Stellarium.org

Sources:

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