Friday, April 11, 2025

Venus Gleams above Mercury and Saturn (before sunrise)

During the early part of April, the planets Venus, Mercury, Neptune, and
Saturn will all be gathered above the eastern horizon before sunrise. Neptune is far too faint to compete against the morning twilight, but the other three planets will be visible, especially from tropical latitudes where the ecliptic will be closer to vertical. On the mornings surrounding Friday, April 11, find brilliant Venus and then search a bit more than a binoculars' field of view below it (or 6.5 degrees to the celestial southeast) for the side-by-side pair of Mercury and Saturn. Mercury will be the slightly brighter planet to
Saturn's left. On the prior few days, Saturn will be lower than Mercury. Then it will climb while Mercury descends. [ Saturday, April 12, 2025 Mini Full
Pink Paschal Moon Occults Spica

The moon will officially reach its full phase on Saturday, April 12 at 8:22 p.m. EDT or 5:22 p.m. PDT, which converts to 00:22 UT on Sunday. Around that time, the full moon will also pass in front of the bright star Spica for observers within a zone from Panama southeast across northern South America, and ending near the southern tip of Africa. Surrounding regions will see Spica near the moon. April's full moon, commonly called the Pink Moon, Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, or Fish Moon, always shines in or near the stars of
Virgo or Libra. The moon won't look pink, though - the name arises from the forest wildflowers blooming in April. The indigenous Ojibwe groups of the
Great Lakes region call the April full moon Iskigamizige-giizis "the Maple Sap Boiling Moon" or Namebine-giizis, "the Sucker Moon". For them it signifies a time to learn cleansing and healing ways. The Cree of North America call it Niskipisim, "the Goose Moon" - the time when the geese return with spring. For the Mi'kmaw people of Eastern Canada, this is Penatmuiku's, "the Birds Laying Eggs Time Moon". The Cherokee call it Kawonuhi, "the Flower Moon", when the plants bloom. This full moon will occur less than 23 hours before its monthly perigee, making it the smallest full moon in 2025. It's also the Paschal Moon that controls the timing of Easter and Passover.

(Data Courtesy of Starry Night)
--- SBBSecho 3.23-Linux
* Origin: CJ's Place, Orange City FL > cjsplace.thruhere.net (954:100/61)