Sunrise Sunset

Fri., April 4 6:20 7:09

Sat., April 5 6:18 7:10

Sun., April 6 6:16 7:12

Mon., April 7 6:15 7:13

Tues., April 8 6:13 7:14

Wed., April 9 6:11 7:15

Thurs., April 10 6:10 7:16

Fri., April 11 6:08 7:17

A thin crescent moon on Tuesday night appears close to the star cluster Pleiades in the zodiacal constellation Taurus. The two appear in the southwestern sky after sunset. The best view is through a pair of binoculars. With glasses the moon appears to graze right by the star cluster.

On Thursday night the moon appears near the bright red planet Mars. The two are overhead and in the zodiacal constellation Gemini. Mars is not as bright as it was earlier in the year, so finding it with the moon as a guide is helpful.

Saturn

The ringed-planet Saturn is ideal for viewing this spring. Saturn is in Leo, one of the most popular of spring constellations. Saturn is ideally placed for telescope viewing this spring. The planet is high in the sky and the Earth’s atmosphere doesn’t interfere as much.

Jupiter is easy to find in the early morning sky, but it is low in the south. The atmosphere near the horizon isn’t as stable as the sky overhead. Saturn is by far the better view. A sharp 60-power telescope is all that is needed to see the planet’s distinct rings.

Objects that appear overhead are clearer and easier to observe than on the horizon. A viewer looks through much more of the atmosphere looking at something near the horizon. Overhead, there is less atmosphere.

M.A.L.