Sky Chart For The Month of April, 2008
ASTRONOMICAL BULLETIN FOR APRIL 2008
The Moon
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New Moon occurs on 6th at h. 09-25 I.S.T. |
First Quarter occurs on 13th at h. 00-02 I.S.T. |
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Full Moon occurs on 20th at h. 15-55 I.S.T. |
Last Quarter occurs on 28th at h. 19-42 I.S.T. |
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The Lunar Crescent becomes first visible after the New Moon day in the evening of 7th. |
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The Moon is at Perigee or nearest to the Earth on 8th and at Apogee or farthest from the Earth on 23rd. |
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The Moon passes very close to Neptune on 2nd, about 3º north of Uranus on 4th, about 4½º north of Venus on 5th, about 1º north of Mars on 12th, about 2½º south of Saturn at local midnight of 15th , about 3º south of Jupiter on 27th and about ½º north of Neptune after local midnight of 29th i.e. on 30th.
The Planets
The Visibility of Planets
:Mercury
: The planet remains too near the Sun to be visible till 25th day of the month, being in Superior Conjunction on 16th. Thereafter it reappears in the western sky and sets about 1 hour after sunset for the remaining days of the month. The planet approaches Perihelion position in its orbit or reaches nearest to the Sun on 24th.Venus
: It is a brilliant object and can be seen low in the eastern sky just before sunrise. It rises about 1 hour to ½ hour before sunrise and remains visible till the beginning of the morning twilight throughout the month.Mars
: The planet can be seen in the evening after sunset and sets about ½ hour after local midnight to ½ hour before it throughout the month.Jupiter
: The planet can be seen after local midnight, rises about 1 hour after local midnight to around local midnight time upto second quarter of the month. Thereafter it rises around local midnight time to about ½ hour before it for the remaining days of the month. It is in Quadrature with the Sun on 10th.Saturn
: The planet can be seen after sunset and sets few hours after local midnight throughout the month. It sets about 3½ hours to 2½ hours after local midnight upto second quarter of the month, about 2½ hours to 1½ hours after it for the remaining days of the month.Uranus
: The planet can be seen low in the eastern sky during early hours and remains visible till the beginning of morning twilight. It rises about 1 hour to 2 hours before sunrise upto third quarter of the month. Thereafter it rises about 2 hours to 2½ hours before it for the remaining days of the month.Neptune
: The planet can be seen after local midnight and remains visible till the beginning of morning twilight. It rises about 3 hours after local midnight in the first quarter of the month, about 3 hours to 1½ hours after it upto third quarter of the month and about 1½ hours to 1 hour after it for the remaining days of the month.Conjunction of Planets :
Mars passes 5º south of Pollux ( Punarvasu) on 29th.
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Planets |
Planets in Zodiacal Constellation |
Magnitude |
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Mercury (Budha) |
Moves from Pisces (Mina) to Aries (Mesha) on 15th. Again from Aries (Mesha) to Taurus (Vrisha) on 29th. |
-0.8 to -1.1 |
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Venus (Sukra) |
Moves from Aquarius (Kumbha) to Pisces (Mina) on 1st. Again from Pisces (Mina) to Aries (Mesha) on 25th. |
-3.8 |
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Mars (Mangala) |
Moves from Gemini ( Mithun) to Cancer (Karkata) on 28th. |
+0.9 to +1.1 |
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Jupiter (Brihaspati) |
Remains in Sagittarius (Dhanus). |
-2.2 |
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Saturn (Sani) |
Remains in Leo (Simha). |
+0.5 |
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Uranus |
Remains in Aquarius (Kumbha). |
+6.0 |
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Neptune |
Moves from Capricornus (Makara) to Aquarius (Kumbha) on 24th. |
+8.0 |
Source : : Director
Positional Astronomy Centre
India Meteorological Department
New Alipore, Kolkata - 700 053.