April’s new moon has arrived, bringing with it several nights of spectacular dark skies perfect for viewing our solar system’s planets, majestic constellations, and the galaxy beyond.
April’s new moon Occurred on April 17th at 7:52 a.m. EDT (GMT 1152), the moon solar The Earth is no longer visible in the daytime sky, and its entire backside is covered in shadow.
visible planet
If you look to the west just after sunset on April 17th, you will see Venus It appears 15 degrees above the horizon as a bright evening star, accompanied by pale stars. Pleiades star cluster An open star cluster shining at 10 degrees above the sky. It’s about the same width as your fist when your arms are extended.
ice giant Uranus It is located a little less than 5 degrees to the lower left of the star cluster. Without very dark skies and perfect visibility, it’s too dim to see with the naked eye, but binoculars or a small telescope can spot the disk as a tiny greenish dot. According to telescope manufacturer Celestron,.
JupiterMeanwhile, it shines high above your head. caster and Pollux — the brightest stars Gemini. If you point your 6-inch telescope at Jupiter, you might notice a line of bright spots extending outward from Jupiter. gas giantcolorful discs. They are galileo satellite Io, Ganymede, europa and callisto!
Leaving an hour before sunrise on April 18 will give you a clear view of the eastern horizon and a chance to catch the planet’s triangle rising in the dawn glow.
Mars Sitting higher in the sky, Saturn and below mercury It will come off to the right. Neptune It also exists to the upper right of Mercury, but the distant ice giant would be too faint to be spotted with the naked eye.
stars and constellations
The dark nights around the new moon are the perfect time to explore some of the subtle constellations that shine in the Northern Hemisphere’s skies.
First, find the sickle-shaped formation. star This represents the head and chest of the great lion, represented by the constellation Leo. This lion can be seen high above the southern horizon in April with the bright star Regulus at its base.
Next, look to the lower right of Regulus and you’ll see a ring of stars representing the head of the serpent in the constellation Hydra, and a series of stars winding east towards the horizon to mark its tail. Hydra is the largest constellation in the night sky, but it is often overlooked due to its lack of bright stars.
Perched along the back of Hydra are the compact constellations Corvus and Crater. To their east is a pale light; Spica — the brightest star in the world zodiac sign virgo.
To observe the deep sky, why not go to a place with a dark sky and use a telescope to observe the part of the sky where Leo, Virgo, and Coma constellations intersect.
First, use our handy tools to find Denebora and Vindemiatrix, the Lion’s Tail stars in the constellation Leo. Astronomical observation app. Approximately halfway between the two is Markarian Chain – A spectacular line of galaxies, whose ancient light can be observed using modest telescopes.
read more: Galactic season: Spring brings deep space wonders to Northern Hemisphere night skies.
With our help you can also capture amazing images of stars. Night sky photography guide for beginners. Be sure to check out our selection best telescope and Binoculars for exploring the night skyWith a summary of top camera and Astrophotography lenses to be released in 2026.
Editor’s note: If you’d like to share your night sky photos with Space.com readers, send them along with your name, location, and comments to spacephotos@space.com.
#April #moon #brings #spectacular #views #Hydra #Jupiter #Venus #week