Welcome to the April night sky. The most widely advertised happening this month occurs during the day, when, on April 8, there is a total Eclipse of the Sun.
Unfortunately for us in Portugal, this total eclipse is only visible from the continent of North America. With the strip of totality stretching from northern Mexico, through the centre of North America and ending just in Canada.
To see a total eclipse of the Sun from Portugal, we will have to wait until August 2, 2026, when the extreme north of the country will see the eclipse that is visible, principally from the centre of Spain.
On August 12, 2027, we have another total eclipse, but this time just not quite visible from Portugal, with the path of totality just south of the Algarve and the totality crosses Gibraltar in southern Spain.
The gas giant planet Jupiter is rapidly sinking lower each nightfall. On the 20th, Jupiter will be close to the faint planet Uranus.
On the evening of the 6th, the crescent Moon makes a triangle with the planets Saturn and Mars. This will be visible low in the east just before sunrise. On the early morning of the 7th, the thin crescent Moon will be close to the planet Venus. On the 10th, the crescent Moon will be close to the planet Jupiter, this time just before sunset.
There is only one important meteor shower in April that is the Lyrids, but it will be at its best on the late evening of the 21st on until the morning of the 22nd. Unfortunately, this is the time when we will have a nearly full Moon.
Normally, in the dark sky with no Moon, you may see 10 to 15 Lyrids per hour, but sometimes a surge can drive for a short period up to 100 meteors per hour.
The Lyrid shower comes from the comet Thatcher that has an orbital period of 415 years. This shower has been known about since 415 years B.C.
The Moon is last quarter on April 2, new on April 8, first quarter on the 15th and full on the 24th.
By Clive Jackson
|| features@algarveresident.com
Clive Jackson is the director of the Camera Obscura – Tavira EYE attraction, located near the Castle of Tavira. Specialising in education and public outreach.
281 322 527 | info@torredetavira.com www.torredetavira.com
To see the April Sky Map click on the pdf link below
