Spectacular Night Sky Photos for April 2014 (Stargazing Gallery)

Four Percent Illuminated Moon Conjunction with Mercury

Victor C. Rogus

Victor C. Rogus of Jadwin, Mo. captured this image of a 4 percent illuminated moon in conjunction with the planet Mercury at roughly 6 a.m. local time on Feb. 27, 2014. He used a Cannon 60Da camera with a Baader Vario Finder as a lens. The exposure was 1/8 second with an ISO selection of 800 and an f stop of 4.1. Story posted April 23. [Read the Full Story Behind This Photo]

Moon Aglow with Earthshine Over Citadel by Giuseppe Petricca

Giuseppe Petricca

Giuseppe Petricca sent Space.com this image of the moon over a citadel near the Arno River, in Pisa, Italy on March 3, 2014. Posted April 24. [Read the Full Story Behind This Photo,]

Zodiacal Light over Death Valley

Steve Zigler

Astrophotographer Steve Zigler created this image in Death Valley during the new moon on Jan. 30, 2014. At center, stretching up, shines an intense display of Zodiacal light. Several other notable features gleam forth, including the winter Milky Way, the Andromeda galaxy, Jupiter, the Pleiades, and the Orion nebula. Posted on April 11. [Read the full story behind this photo here.]

New Moon After Sunset

Greg Diesel Walck/www.facebook.com/GregDieselPhotography

Astrophotographer Greg Diesel Walck sent in a photo of the new moon after sunset, taken in Currituck, NC, on March 31, 2014.

Four Images of Mars Seen in Canada

Andrew Kwon

Astrophotographer Andrew Kwon sent in a composite image showing Mars on four different nights. He writes in an e-mail to Space.com: "These 4 were taken from March 27th to this morning April 6th. With opposition only coming every 26 months I am out every clear night imaging the red planet from my backyard observatory in Mississauga, ON." [a href="http://www.space.com/25505-mars-amateur-photos-april-night-sky.html">Read the Full Story Behind This Photo]

Aurora Behind Building Thunderstorm by Randy Halverson

Randy Halverson | Dakotalapse.com | facebook.com/dakotalapse

This image is a still showing an aurora behind a building thunderstorm from the time-lapse film "Huelux,” shot from April to November 2013, in South Dakota, Wyoming and Utah by astrophotographer Randy Halverson. Posted April 16, 2014. [See the stunning video and read the full story here]

Mars Rising in Colorado

Daniel McVey

Astrophotographer Daniel McVey of Colorado sent in a photo of Mars rising. He writes in an e-mail message to Space.com: "April 8 2014: Mars and Spica rising over Atlantic Peak of the Tenmile Range w/selfie. It was a beautiful night for a moonlight snowshoe!"

Mars on April 2, 2014

Mike Rosset

Astrophotographer Mike Rosset sent in a photo of Mars taken April 2, 2014, from an undisclosed location. [a href="http://www.space.com/25505-mars-amateur-photos-april-night-sky.html">Read the Full Story Behind This Photo]

Milky Way Rises Over Lighthouse by A. Garrett Evans

A. Garrett Evans | www.facebook.com/AGEvansPhotography

A. Garrett Evans sent Space.com this 9-shot panorama of the Milky Way rising over Cape Neddick Lighthouse in York, Maine on March 3, 2014. The photo covers nearly 180 degrees and was taken with a Canon 6D camera, Canon 16-35mm @ 16mm, ISO 4000, f/2.8, 30 sec. [See the Story Behind This Photo Here]

C-17 Globemaster III Soars Over Japan in Landmark Flight

U.S. Air Force photo/Osakabe Yasuo

A C-17 Globemaster III from the 3rd Wing, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson takes off March 22, 2014, at Yokota Air Base, Japan. Osakabe Yasuo took this photo on March 22, 2014 from Yokota Air Base, Japan. [Read the Full Story Behind this Photo]

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