Venus, with its dazzling white colour, is always an attraction in the sky after the sun sets. Its brilliant and pure white hue is sometimes mistaken for the light of an aircraft inbound to the airport.
During the month of April, Venus skirts past two star clusters, the Pleiades (M45) and the Hyades in the constellation of Taurus the Bull.
At the beginning of April Venus can be seen below the Pleiades. The brightest stars of the Pleiades are of magnitudes 3 and 4. These stars form the shape of a tiny dipper, not to be confused with the well known Big Dipper asterism (in Ursa Major) or Little Dipper asterism (in Ursa Minor). An asterism is not an official constellation but only a formation within a designated constellation (eg. The Big Dipper is an asterism within the constellation of Ursa Major).
Venus, blazing at a magnitude of -3.9, is much brighter than the stars of the Pleiades. The difference in brightness is about 7 magnitudes which make Venus nearly 630 times brighter than these stars.
Venus comes closest to the Pleiades star cluster on April 11. This night will find Venus within 3 degrees of the centre of the Pleiades. A set of 7 degree field of view binoculars such as 7x35s or 7x50s will give a stunning view of the sparkling stars of the cluster along with the brilliant white colour of Venus in the same field of view. This event would also make a nice photo with brilliant Venus in the foreground along with the stars of the Pleiades in the background. After all, Venus is much closer to us at a distance of 8.5 light-minutes where as the average distance of the Pleiades stars is 410 light-years. A light-minute or light-year is the distance that light travels in that time frame at a speed of 186,282 miles (299,784 km) per second.
As Venus drifts close by the Pleiades it also passes by the Hyades star cluster. The Hyades forms the face of Taurus the Bull. The orange coloured star Aldebaran marks the Bull’s eye. Note the difference in brightness and colour between Venus (pure white) and Aldeberan (orange).
I have always marveled at the beauty of a crescent moon next to Venus in a twilight sky after sunset. This can be a photo opportunity especially when you can get something in the foreground of the picture. Look to the west 30 minutes after sunset on April 19 and the thin crescent moon will be seen to the lower right of Venus. The next evening the moon will be seen just above Venus after the sun has gone down.
Saturn’s yellow glow is easily identified well above the southeastern horizon once darkness has fallen. Use a telescope to obtain a good glimpse of the rings and Saturn’s southern polar region. If the seeing conditions are perfect you may be able to discern the darker clouds that make up Saturn’s polar hood.
Jupiter can be seen low in the south before sunrise as a bright yellow “star” in the constellation Ophiuchus. The reddish star about ten degrees to the right of Jupiter is Antares (a red supergiant star) in the constellation of Scorpius.
Astronomy Day is an annual event held by many
astronomical organizations around the world. Its purpose is to share our interest and bring
the joy of astronomy to the general population. On this day, amateur and professional astronomers
bring the universe to the public through observing sessions, displays and
information booths in malls, science centers and planetaria.
This educational event is fun for the
public and astronomy enthusiasts alike. The
Thunder Bay Centre of the Astronomical Society will be holding Astronomy Day
activities and displays at Chapters
book store on
Clear Skies
Ted Bronson