April 21 will be this year’s International Astronomy Day. Here is the sky you will be able to see if you stay out after darkness falls, maybe with astronomical friends and their telescopes.
To find out what star parties and other activities are planned for Astronomy Day, you can explore the web pages of the Astronomical League and from Sky & Telescope magazine .
At the time and place of our picture, Venus is just setting. Though, as always, brighter than any star or other planet, it has climbing and brightening to do before reaching its climax in the evening sky four months from now.
Over in the east, the second brightest planet has risen: Jupiter, which will be at opposition on May 9. The other planets will rise later through the night, being on the morning side of the Sun.
And in the northeast, Vega has risen, the bright star of the constellation Lyra, from which radiate the Lyrid meteors. The probable peak of this shower is next night, and they may already be putting on a show.
This is one of the advantages of the timing of the spring Astronomy Day: a Saturday of late April or early May with the Moon observable but not too dazzling. The Moon will be at First Quarter also in the night between April 22 and 23.
There will also be a Fall Astronomy Day, on October 13
It’s also the peak of the Lyrid’s meteor shower. I’ve already hear reports of pretty bright shooting stars as early as a few night ago, in the ‘wee’ hours of the morning, when some of us seniors get up to do just that, lol. One report from San Diego, and one from Florida. Also getting reports of already seeing Venus in the daytime. Great time of year. Good viewing to everyone.