April 2013 Celestial Highlights

Roanoke Valley's April Sky

Early April - 10:30 p.m.

Late April - 9:30 p.m.

Visible Planets:

MERCURY lost in the bright morning twilight. To the right of the thin crescent Moon at 6:30 a.m. on April 8. 

VENUS lost in the solar glare. Behind the sun on March 28. 

MARS lost in the solar glare. Behind the sun on April 17.

JUPITER high in the west 60 minutes after sunset at the end of March and low in the west-northwest 60 minutes after sunset at the end of April. Next to the Moon on April 14.

SATURN rises in the east at sunset and is high in the south at midnight. Visible all month.  Next to the full Moon on April 25.

Use the Big Dipper to locate:

The North Star

Capella

Pollux and Castor

Leo

Arcturus

Spica

Use Orion to locate:

Aldebaran

Sirius

The Winter Triangle

To use this map:

Face south and hold the map above your head. The stars on the map will match the stars in the sky.

Such is our view from Earth...