Sky Calendar -- April 2007

2	Full Moon at 17:15 UT. Called the "Grass Moon" or "Egg Moon". • Full Moon Names (Wikipedia)
3	Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 9h UT (distance 406,329 km; angular size 29.4').
3	Moon near Spica at 17h UT (morning sky).
7	Moon very near Antares at 13h UT (morning sky). Occult-ation visible from E. Australia, N.Z., and S. South America. • Occultation of Antares (IOTA)
8	Moon near Jupiter at 8h UT (morning sky).
10	Last Quarter Moon at 18:04 UT.
12	Venus 2.6° from the Pleiades at 6h UT (evening sky).
14	Moon very near Mars at 1h UT (morning sky). Mag. +1.1. Occultation visible from Yemen, Somalia and Madagascar. • Occultation of Mars (IOTA)
16	Moon near Mercury at 6h UT (morning sky). Mag. -0.5.
17	Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 6h UT (357,135 km; 33.5').
17	New Moon at 11:36 UT. Beginning of lunation 1043.
17	National Dark Sky Week, April 17-24. You are encouraged to turn off any unnecessary outdoor lights in order to temporarily reduce light pollution. • National Dark Sky Week
19	Moon near the Pleiades at 16h UT (evening sky).
20	Moon near Venus at 7h UT (evening sky).
21	Astronomy Day 2007 is today! Astronomy clubs, planetariums, observatories, and science museums worldwide will offer a variety of public activities. • Astronomy Day Web Site (Astronomical League) • Astronomy Day in Canada (RASC)
22	Lyrid meteor shower peaks at 22h UT. Active between April 16-25. Radiant is located between Hercules and Lyra. Expect between 10 to 20 bright, fast meteors per hour at its peak. Favorable viewing conditions this year. • The Lyrids (International Meteor Organization)
23	Moon near Pollux at 11h UT (evening sky).
24	First Quarter Moon at 6:36 UT.
24	Moon near Beehive cluster (M44) at 14h UT (evening sky).
25	Moon very near Saturn at 10h UT (evening sky). Occultation visible Alaska, Western and Northern Canada. • Occultation of Saturn (IOTA)
26	Moon very near Regulus at 9h UT (evening sky). Occultation visible from N.E. Siberia and N.W. North America. • Occultation of Regulus (IOTA)
29	Mars 0.68° from Uranus at 4h UT (morning sky). Mags +1.0 and +5.9.
30	Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 11h UT (distance 406,209 km; angular size 29.4').
All times Universal Time (UT). USA Eastern Summer Time = UT - 4 hours.

Tips for observing the night sky; When observing the night sky, and in particular deep-sky objects such as star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies, it's always best to observe from a dark location. Avoid direct light from street lights and other sources. If possible observe from a dark location away from the light pollution that surrounds many of today's cities. You will see more stars after your eyes adapt to the darkness-usally about 10 to 20 minutes after you go outside. Also,if you need to use a torch to view the sky map,cover the light bulb with red cellophane.This will preserve your dark vision. Finally, even though the moon is one of the most stunning objects to view through a telescope,its light is so bright that is brightens the sky and makes many of the fainter objects very difficult to see.So try to observe the evening sky on moonless nights around either new moon or last Quarter.


You should always observe Deep sky objects on moonless nights around new moon or last Quarter ,or after the moon has set below the horizon or before the moon has risen, like said above, the moon is so bright that it blocks/washs out all the deep sky objects (DSOs). So here are some rise/set times and info of the moon and the sun.