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Venus is the planet that stars during April

By Daryl Schrader, Astronomy columnist
Published March 26, 2007

At nightfall during April, Venus blazes above the western horizon. Through binoculars, the Pleiades can be seen to the planet's upper right on April 11, and Venus is joined by the crescent moon on April 19. Venus is easily the brightest of any star or planet visible.

Saturn is high in the south at dusk, a great time to view its ring system with a telescope. Saturn is near the moon April 24 and 25.

Jupiter will rise in the east around midnight and be visible in the south to south-southwest before dawn. It is the second brightest object in the sky (apart from the moon or sun). The cloud bands on Jupiter's surface and the four largest moons orbiting it make the planet a favorite object to view by telescope.

Mars is quite low in the east-southeast predawn sky this month. It is to the upper right of the crescent moon on April 14; both bodies are near the horizon.

At the planetariums

Science Center of Pinellas County, 7701 22nd Ave. N, St. Petersburg: The Science Center is offering planetarium shows at 3 p.m. Fridays, through May.

Science Works, an expo that shows how Science Center classes are practical stepping stones to actual careers, is from 12:30 to 3 p.m. April 14; from 8 to 11 p.m. there will be an Astronomy Expo Presentation, with displays on telescopes, astronomy and activities for kids. In addition, the planetarium and observatory will be open that day.

Learn how to build a telescope at the ongoing classes from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays in the optical laboratory in the annex building (behind the main building). The St. Petersburg Astronomy Club meets at the Science Center at 8 p.m. the fourth Friday of every month. Visit its Web site at www.tampabay astronomy.com.

For more information, call (727) 384-0027 or go to www. sciencecenterofpinellas.com.

St. Petersburg College, Fifth Avenue and 69th Street N, St. Petersburg: The college planetarium at the St. Petersburg campus will offer free planetarium shows at 7 and 8:15 p.m. Fridays.

When the skies are clear, the observatory will be open after the second show to see Saturn.

Call (727) 341-4320 for details.

Gulfport: Telescopes will be set up at dusk April 6 and April 21 at the corner of Beach Boulevard and 31st Avenue S for astronomical viewing if the skies are clear. Now is an excellent time to view Saturn.

South Florida Museum and Bishop Planetarium, 210 10th St. W, Bradenton: The planetarium is offering its new show "Black Holes." Telescopes will be set up for free viewing at sundown April 21 in the north parking lot.

For details, call (941) 746-4131 or go to www.southflorida museum.org.

Museum of Science and Industry, 4801 E Fowler Ave., Tampa: The planetarium continues "More Than Meets the Eye" and MOSI's "Tonight Show," on the current night sky. The astronomy club meets at 7:30 p.m. April 13 in the planetarium.

Astronomy Day will be celebrated from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. April 21 with astronomy club (MARS) activities, solar telescopes during the day and telescope viewing in the evening.

MARS and MOSI offer free telescope viewing at sundown April 28, weather permitting.

Call (813) 987-6100 or go to www.mosi.org for more events.

Sky calendar

April 2: Full moon.

April 3: Moon farthest (apogee) at 252,481 miles.

April 6: St. Petersburg Astronomy Club sets up telescopes in Gulfport to view Saturn at dusk.

April 7: Antares is the bright star near the moon in the morning sky. Brilliant Jupiter is to the upper left of both.

April 8: Jupiter shines brightly above the moon before sunrise.

April 10: Last-quarter moon. After dusk, Saturn is to the upper right of the star Regulus high in the south.

April 11: At nightfall, look to the upper right of brilliant Venus to see the Pleiades star cluster. Use binoculars to find the Pleiades.

April 13: MARS astronomy club meets from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the planetarium at MOSI. Mars is to the upper right of the crescent moon, low in the east-southeast before dawn.

April 14: Science Works Expo and Astronomy Expo are both at the Science Center of Pinellas County.

April 17: New moon. Moon is closest (perigee) at 221,914 miles.

April 18: The star to the left of Venus at dusk in the west-northwest is Aldebaran.

April 19: Venus is to the upper left of the crescent moon in the west-northwest at dusk. The Pleiades is below the moon.

April 21: St. Petersburg Astronomy Club sets up telescopes in Gulfport to view Saturn. Astronomy Day activities at MOSI. Bishop Planetarium has SideWalk telescope viewing from sundown to 10 p.m. in Bradenton.

April 24: First-quarter moon. Saturn to the left of the moon at dusk.

April 25: Saturn to the right of the moon after sunset.

April 27: Astronomy club meets at the Science Center of Pinellas County at 8 p.m.

April 28: SkyWatch telescopes are set up from sundown to 10 p.m. outside the Butterfly Garden at MOSI.

April 31: Moon again at apogee. This time at 252,407 miles.

Daryl L. Schrader is an astronomy and mathematics professor at St. Petersburg College and teaches astronomy at the University of South Florida.

[Last modified March 25, 2007, 16:22:48]