Last Quarter Moon, April 2013
Wednesday, April 3, 12:37 a.m. EDT. The last or third quarter moon rises around 2:40 a.m. and sets around 12:50 p.m. It is most easily seen just after sunrise in the southern sky.
New Moon, April 2013
Wednesday, April 10, 5:35 a.m. EDT. The moon is not visible on the date of new moon because it is too close to the sun, but can be seen low in the east as a narrow crescent a morning or two before, just before sunrise. It is visible low in the west an evening or two after new moon.
First Quarter Moon, April 2013
Thursday, April 18, 8:31 a.m. EDT. The first quarter moon rises around 12:30 p.m. and sets around 3 a.m. It dominates the evening sky.
Full Moon, April 2013
Thursday, April 25, 3:57 p.m. EDT. The full moon of April is called the Seed Moon. Its Cree name is Kiskipizun, meaning “Gray Goose Moon.” Other names are Sprouting Grass Moon, Fish Moon, Growing Moon, Waking Moon, and Pink Moon. In Hindi it is known as Hanuman Jayanti. Its Sinhala (Buddhist) name is Bak. The full moon rises around sunset and sets around sunrise, the only night in the month when the moon is in the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the moon spends at least some time in the daytime sky.
Jupiter North of the Moon, April 2013
Sunday, April 14, 2 p.m. EDT. Jupiter will be 2 degrees north of the moon, giving an excellent opportunity to view the giant planet is the daylight sky. Quite a few people have seen Venus with their unaided eyes in daylight, but very few have seen Jupiter. Locate it first with binoculars, then try to spot it with the naked eye.
Spica Near the Moon, April 24, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 8 p.m. local time. Look closely at the rising moon tonight. Notice a tiny star just above it? That’s Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. As seen from Central America, the Caribbean, and southern Africa, the moon will actually pass in front of Spica.
Partial Lunar Eclipse, April 25, 2013
Thursday, April 25. The moon will pass through the outer parts of the moon’s shadow tonight for observers over much of the Eastern Hemisphere. Unfortunately this eclipse will not be visible anywhere in North America.
Saturn at Opposition, April 2013
Wednesday, April 20, 7:02 a.m. EDT. Saturn is directly opposite the sun in the sky. It sits on the boundary between the constellations Virgo and Libra, just to the east of the bright star Spica. It is visible all night, rising in the east as the sun sets in the west, and setting in the west as the sun rises in the east.
