Sky Notes - April 2018

In this month's edition:

  • Planetary Skylights: Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn
  • Meteors: Lyrids, Virginids, Alpha Scorpiids
  • April 2018 Sky Charts

Just to reminder that we shall be hosting a star party event for visiting pupils from Ayresome Primary School & Lego Innovation Studio up at the Whitby Youth Hostel on April 3rd 2018...

And the Star Party season on the West Cliff will commence from May...  [Read more about Event Horizon – Future Star Party Events]

Paul Money Talk 2018

After a 3 year break, all being well Paul will return to Whitby on May 8th to give a presentation on the Voyager probes to coincide with their 41st launch anniversary.  Entitled “Triumphs of Voyager pt 1: Journey to Jupiter/Splendours of Saturn”, it promises to be every bit as informative and entertaining as Paul’s other talks... [Read more about Paul Money Talk 2018]

Following recent further correspondence with Dr Sean Paling regarding a visit to DMF at Boulby, it has been established that Friday’s are difficult for Sean and his team.  We're discussing other dates...

  [Read more about Boulby Mine – Dark Matter Facility visit]

Continuing the tour of stellar objects crossing the meridian line this month: a double-star in the 'Sickle' of Leo, a field barred spiral galaxy also in Leo, knwon to its friends as "NGC 2903"; and the 'Ghost of Jupiter' planetary nebula in Hydra.

  • Star: Algieba: the ‘The Lion's Mane’.
  • Galaxy: NGC 2903.  Discovered by William Herschel in 1784, this barred spiral galaxy lies in Leo near the top of the lion's head, to the right of the sickle asterism
  • Nebula: NGC 3242 - ‘Ghost of Jupiter’ nebula.