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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the period between April 1 and April 30, 2025. Here are the events happening in the sky of southern California.

Mercury, on the 1^st, is close to the sun and not safe to observe. On the 10^th, the planet rises in the east at 5:31 a.m., PDT, and the sun rises at 6:28 a.m., PDT, 57 minutes later. Mercury is 25-percent-illuminated and 9.8 arcseconds wide. On the 30^th, Mercury rises in the east at 5:06 a.m., PDT, and the sun rises at 6:04 a.m., PDT, 58 minutes later. Mercury is 58-percent-illuminated and 6.9 arcseconds wide. Do not observe any planet when it appears close to the sun, for the danger to the eyes is great.

Venus rises in the east at 5:34 a.m., PDT, on the 1^st, and the sun rises at 6:28 a.m., PDT, 54 minutes later. The planet is 10-percent-illuminated and 51 arcseconds wide. On the 30^th, Venus rises in the east at 4:11 a.m., PDT, and is 28-percent-illuminated and 37 arcseconds wide. Do not observe any planet when it appears close to the sun, for the danger to the eyes is great.

Mars is in Gemini the Twins. On the 1^st, Mars sets in the west-northwest at 3:11 a.m., PDT, and is 90-percent-illuminated and 8.2 arcseconds wide. On the 12^th, Mars moves from Gemini to Cancer the Crab. On the 30^th, Mars sets in the west-northwest at 1:55 a.m., PDT, and is 90-percent-illuminated and 6.6 arcseconds wide. A magnification of 150x is needed to see its small disk.

Jupiter is in Taurus the Bull. On the 1^st, Jupiter sets in the west-northwest at 12:21 a.m., PDT, and is 36 arcseconds wide. On the 30^th, the planet sets in the west-northwest at 10:48 p.m., PDT, and is 34 arcseconds wide. A telescope capable of magnification 50x will show the Red Spot, and the four bright Galilean moons can be seen moving back and forth, across and behind Jupiter.

Saturn is in Aquarius the Water Bearer. The planet is close to the sun until the 13^th and is not safe to observe. On the 13^th, Saturn rises in the east at 5:20 a.m., PDT, and the sun rises at 6:24 a.m., PDT, one hour four minutes later. On the 19^th, Saturn moves from Aquarius to Pisces the Fishes. On the 30^th, Saturn rises in the east at 4:19 a.m., PDT, one hour 45 minutes before the sun rises. Do not observe any planet when it appears close to the sun, for the danger to the eyes is great.

Uranus is in Taurus the Bull. On the 1^st, Uranus sets in the west-northwest at 10:36 p.m., PDT. On the 30^th, Uranus sets in the west-northwest at 8:50 p.m., PDT. On the 15^th, Uranus is at Right Ascension 03^h 32^m 39^s with a declination of +18° 54ʹ 35ʺ. The disk of Uranus is only 3.5 arcseconds wide, and so a telescope with a magnification of 150x is needed.

Neptune is in Pisces the Fishes. In the first two weeks of April, the planet rises less than an hour before the sun and is not safe to observe. On the 15^th, Neptune rises in the east at 5:22 a.m., PDT, and the sun rises at 6:22 a.m., PDT, one hour later.  On the 30^th, the planet rises in the east at 4:24 a.m., PDT, one hour 40 minutes before the sun rises. The position of Neptune on the 15^th is Right Ascension 00^h 04^m 06^s with a declination of –00° 56ʹ 22ʺ. The disk of Neptune is only 2.2 arcseconds wide, and so a telescope with a magnification of 150x is needed.

The first quarter moon occurs on the 4^th, full moon on the 12^th, last quarter on the 20^th, and new moon on the 27^th.

SPECIAL EVENTS

The Lyrid meteor shower is active from the evening of the 15^th to the morning of the 30^th. The Lyrids are named after the constellation of Lyra the Harp, from which they appear to originate. The Lyrid meteors comprise a medium-strength shower, with perhaps 20 meteors per hour at the peak, which will occur from the evening of the 21^st to the morning of the 22^nd. The Lyrids can produce occasional fireballs. The moon will be a 35-percent-illuminated waning crescent and will not interfere with observations until after 3:13 a.m., PDT.

In the major lunar standstill of 2024-2025, the April northernmost moon rises as a 36-percent waxing crescent on the morning of the 3^rd at 10:25 a.m., PDT, and a 42-percent-illuminated moon sets on the evening of the 4^th at 1:53 a.m., PDT. No events are planned at Griffith Observatory. The southernmost excursion occurs on the 18^th, when the 76-percent waning gibbous moon rises at 12:18 a.m., PDT, and the moon sets at 9:43 a.m., PDT. No events are planned at Griffith Observatory. For details on the major lunar standstill, please visit the website at https://griffithobservatory.org/extreme-moon-the-major-lunar-standstills-of-2024-2025/

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