What’s Up for April 2017
Jupiter, the king of the planets, is visible all night long, and the Lyrids meteor shower peaks on April 22.
On April 7, Jupiter–the king of planets–reaches opposition, when it shines brightest and appears largest.
Jupiter will be almost directly overhead at midnight.
This is also a great time to observe the planet’s Galilean moons–Io, Ganymeade, Europa and Callisto. They can be easily seen through binoculars.
With binoculars, you can even see the Great Red Spot as the storm transits the planet every ten hours.
Looking east on April 22, look to the skies for the Summer Triangle, consisting of Deneb, in Cygnus, the Swan; Altair in Aquila, the Eagle; and Vega, in Lyre(the Harp).
Get ready for the Lyrids, the year’s second major meteor shower, as it pierces the Summer Triangle in the early morning hours of April 22. Since the shower begins close to the new moon, expect excellent almost moonless viewing conditions.
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