The moon begins the month as a waxing crescent just a half degree north of the Pleiades (M45), aka The Seven Sisters. And, big Jupiter is not far behind, as the gas giant is six degrees south of the moon April 2. The first-quarter moon April 5 is two degrees north of Mars. By April 12, the moon is full, the smallest in 2025, as it is at apogee the following day (406,295 kilometres distant). Also April 12, the bright star Spica is a mere 0.3 degrees away, occulted in the Â鶹´«Ã½AVern Hemisphere.
On the evening of April 16, Antares is 0.4 degrees north of the moon, also a Â鶹´«Ã½AVern Hemisphere occultation. Last quarter is April 21. By April 24, Venus is two degrees north of the crescent moon, while Saturn is two degrees south – could be a good early morning photo op. Also on that morning, Mercury is four degrees south, hugging the horizon – use binoculars from a location with a clear eastern horizon. Even Neptune gets in the picture if you have a very good telescope. All four planets are clustered together in the morning twilight. New moon is April 27; with the moon at perigee of 357,118 kilometres, causing large tides in coastal areas. By April 29, the moon is back among the stars of the Pleiades (M45). Jupiter is five degrees south April 30.
Mercury comes into view early in the month, but considered a poor apparition for northern viewers, as the speedy planet is too close to the horizon. It’s a great apparition for viewers in the Â鶹´«Ã½AVern Hemisphere. The moon glides by on the morning of the April 24.
Venus is now the Morning Star, rising shortly after 5 a.m. It, too, is plagued by the shallow ecliptic angle in the early days of April, remaining visible for only an hour or so. It might be fun to see if you can track it into the daytime sky – it can be done. Later in the month, it reaches 41 degrees elongation from the sun, beginning to round the curve of its orbit away from us. The brightest planet is joined by the moon April 24 and Saturn April 28.
Mars, still hanging around the Gemini twins, gradually slides eastward into Cancer, the Crab. The first-quarter moon shares the scene April 5. The Red Planet reaches aphelion April 17, the furthest from us in its orbit, and not a very good telescopic target.
Jupiter remains close to the Hyades in Taurus, the Bull, making for good evening views. The moon is six degrees north April 2, and again April 30.
Saturn comes out from behind the sun early in the month, but viewing suffers from a shallow ecliptic angle. Saturn’s rings will be backlit as the sun is behind the planet from our viewpoint. The crescent moon and Venus are clustered with Saturn April 25.
Uranus is gradually dropping southward on the ecliptic following sunset. Too close to the sun for viewing late in the month.
Neptune is among the stars of Pisces, The Fish, but, again, suffering from the low ecliptic angle. Even telescopes might not be enough to see the distant planet.
The Lyrid meteors peak in the early morning of April 22.
James Edgar has had an interest in the night sky all his life. He joined the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in 2000, was national president for two terms, is now the editor of the Observer’s Handbook, and production manager of the bi-monthly RASC Journal. The IAU named asteroid 1995 XC5 “(22421) Jamesedgar” in his honour and he is a Fellow of the RASC.
