April 2020 What’s Up!

Week of 27th April

• Astronomical twilight ends at 22:48 BST at the start of the week and 23:08 BST at the end
• Venus continues its orbit around the Sun, now moving closer to Earth, reaching its 25% illuminated phase on Friday. It appears larger and brighter in the evening sky, shining at mag -4.5. It will be at inferior conjunction on 3rd June, when it passes between Earth and the Sun. Unfortunately, the three will not be in syzygy this time; the next transit of Venus is not until 2117
• The Moon will be First Quarter on Thursday, at this phase for the second time this month
• There is one small sunspot on the Sun, AR 2760; it is close to the equator and part of Solar Cycle 24
• There are no visible evening ISS passes this week

Week of 20th April

• Astronomical twilight ends at 22:27 BST at the start of the week and 22:45 BST at the end
• The peak of the Lyrid meteor shower is on the 22nd April, with meteors possible all week. It generates only around 17 to 18 meteors per hour, so is not as spectacular as the Geminids or Perseids with their maximum ZHRs of 80 to 100 meteors, but given the lack of moonlight, those that appear should be easy to spot. As the name suggests, the radiant is in the constellation of Lyra. The shower occurs as the Earth passes through debris left behind by comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher)
• The Moon will be New on Thursday
• There are currently no active regions on the Sun, with the spotless stretch now at 14 days
• There are no visible evening ISS passes this week

Week of 13th April

• Astronomical twilight ends at 22:09 BST at the start of the week and 22:25 BST at the end
• Unfortunately it appears that Comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS) is not going to give us the display that was anticipated. Reports are of it dimming and of the nucleus disintegrating. It will be interesting to follow its progress over the coming days
• On Wednesday and Thursday mornings, the waning Crescent Moon will pass by the line of the superior naked-eye planets: Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Look in the southeastern pre-dawn sky
• Monday April 13th is the 50th anniversary of those famous words: “Houston, we’ve had a problem…” when an oxygen tank blew two days in to the Apollo 13 mission, threating the lives of the astronauts aboard the spacecraft. Quick thinking, bravery and determination turned the threat of defeat into victory and the crew safely returned to Earth on April 17th
• The Moon is waning and will be Last Quarter on Tuesday
• There are currently no active regions on the Sun, with the spotless stretch now at 7 days
• There are no visible evening ISS passes this week

Week of 6th April

• Astronomical twilight ends at 21:51 BST at the start of the week and 22:06 BST at the end
• As Orion appears ever closer to the western horizon, it is interesting to note that Betelgeuse is well on its way back to ‘normal’ brightness. Reports now suggest it is at magnitude +0.9. Have a look for yourself before it is too late and see how much brighter it now appears
• Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are a treat for the early risers as they appear in a line across the southeastern pre-dawn sky within 15° of eachother
• The Moon is waxing and will be Full on Wednesday
• There is one active region on the Sun, AR 2759. It is at a high northerly latitude and has reversed magnetic polarity, identifying it as a member of new Solar Cycle 25
• There are no visible evening ISS passes this week