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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report through April 20th, 2016. Here’s what’s happening in the skies of southern California.
A large sunspot, first reported on April 10th, is visible on the northern half of the sun. A safe solar filter is necessary to see it, but the spot is large enough to see without magnification. Glasses designed specifically for viewing solar eclipses safely are all that are required to see the spot. Between the 13th and the 20th, the spot will make its way from the upper-central portion of the sun to the upper right hand edge of the sun’s disk. Various safe eclipse glasses, which will also be handy for next year’s solar eclipse, are available from the Stellar Emporium gift store at Griffith Observatory. Under no circumstances should you EVER view the sun without proper eye protection.
At 7:50 p.m., the end of civil twilight, the planet Mercury is visible, and it resembles a bright star as it shines above the west-northwest horizon. The innermost planet should be easy to see until at least 8:15 p.m. Mercury appears at its very highest, 14 degrees above the horizon, on the 18th. It then will begin to appear a little lower at the same time each subsequent evening. Mercury sets at 9:05 p.m.
The planet Jupiter is the most obvious bright spot (other than the moon) in the eastern sky as darkness falls, and can be seen until it sets in the west at 4:30 a.m. It is now best placed for early evening viewing, and crosses the meridian high above the southern horizon at about 10:00 p.m.
The moon waxes from first quarter on the 13th to gibbous afterwards and is only one day shy of full on the 20th. The moon appears in the vicinity of Jupiter on the 17th. Mercury, Jupiter, and the moon are all featured currently through Griffith Observatory’s public telescopes.
The planets Mars and Saturn now both occupy the constellation Ophiuchus the Snake Bearer and rise in the east-southeast within 30 minutes of each other at about midnight. Both planets are best placed for observation in the south at about 4:00 a.m. Orange-hued Mars appears to the right of and outshines the golden planet Saturn. Saturn’s spectacular rings require a telescope to see. By dawn, both Mars and Saturn shift to the south-southwest sky.
Comet 252/P LINEAR, in Ophiuchus a little above Saturn and Mars, continues to shine at about magnitude 6, and remains visible through binoculars in dark skies currently free from moonlight. Comet LINEAR appears as a round diffuse haze, with no tail. In photographs, it appears deep green. Use the finder chart on the Griffith Observatory comet information page to identify it.
The International Space Station passes high over southern California on the evening of Monday, April 18th. From Los Angeles, the ISS will grow to appear brighter than Jupiter as it crosses the sky from the northwest to the south-southeast between 8:32 p.m. and 8:37 p.m., where it meets the shadow of the earth while still 25 degrees high. The Space Station appears highest at 8:36 p.m., when it is 63 degrees high in the southwest.
Free views of the sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes from Tuesday through Sunday, before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for the schedule. The next free public star party on the grounds of Griffith Observatory, hosted by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place on Saturday, April 16th, from 2:00 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.
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From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com