April 2014 is an action-packed month for skywatchers; full of excellent events and things to see in our skies. The headliner is the first of two Total Lunar Eclipses for 2014, which happens in the early morning hours of “tax day”, April 15th. It has been 857 days since the Sun, Earth, and Moon lined up (in that order) and the Moon passed through Earth’s shadow and any of us saw a total lunar eclipse—- over two years! (2014’s second lunar eclipse will be on October 8th).
Total Lunar Eclipse of 1993 Nov 29 (Dunkirk, Maryland) by Fred Espenak
Skywatchers in North and South America will have the prime view of the April 15th eclipse, as none of it will be seen in Europe, Africa, and Central Asia (Moon will already have set when in eclipse). For us the Moon will appear nestled among the stars of zodiac constellation Virgo, and the total phase of the eclipse will last 1 hour and 18 minutes. In the sky region around the Moon will also be seen 1st magnitude star Spica (Virgo’s brightest) just 1.5 degrees to the right and below the Moon, and 1st magnitude Arcturus (Bootes) 32 degrees above and left of the Moon, and 1st magnitude Antares (Scorpius) 45 degrees below and left of it. Meanwhile, Mars will be seen, a week past opposition for it, just 9 degrees above and right of the Moon, and Saturn, 27 degrees left, and slightly above the Moon. This will keep us busy spotting things in addition to the eclipse.
Partial Eclipse starts at 1:58 am EDT —– this is when the Moon enters the Umbra(darkest part) of Earth’s shadow
Totality begins at 3:07 am EDT ——– this is when the Moon is fully inside the Umbra.
Totality ends at 4:25 am EDT ——–Moon exits the Umbra.
Partial Eclipse ends at 5:33 am EDT —– Moon fully out of Earth’s shadow.
Path of the Moon through Earth’s umbral and penumbral shadows
during the Total Lunar Eclipse of April 15, 2014. Courtesy of Fred Espenak.
When in total eclipse the Moon usually looks reddish-orange in color because our air bends some of the Sun’s rays into our shadow while scattering the shorter blue wavelengths of light. Any significant volcanic eruptions may darken the Moon’s appearance too by filling the air with fine dust and ash particles. Remember, this is a completely “safe” eclipse to watch —- we are not looking at any bright Sun rays (as in a Solar Eclipse) —– but merely looking into Earth’s shadow through which the Moon is passing. And since it lasts for 3 1/2 hours, one can watch all of it or parts of it spread over that time. You can use your eyes, binoculars, or telescopes, and it can be seen from a dark observing place or even from a brightly light parking lot. The only problem is the timing —– 2:00 to 5:30 am —– is not an especially convenient time —– BUT —–well worth getting up to see!!
Jupiter and Venus continue to be bright, easy to see planets all month. Jupiter at magnitude –2.1 is in the southwest sky form dusk until about 2 am. Venus in the southeast pre-dawn sky can be seen there for two hours before sunrise at magnitude –4.3. Also each planet will have the Moon passing nearby it during April. A nearly first quarter Moon will be seen just 5 degrees below Jupiter on April 6th, and a waning crescent Moon will be just above Venus on the morning of the 25th.
But the other biggest April event after the eclipse is the opposition of Mars on April 8th. Mars then is closer to Earth than it has been since December 2007, at 50 million miles. Mars will rise in the East as the Sun sets in the west that night, and it will appear at –1.5 magnitude, making it even brighter than Sirius, the sky’s brightest star (-1.4; and still visible low in Canis Major in the southwest sky in April). Mars will be visible all throughout the spring and into summer, but will stay at its current brightness for only this month because Mars is a small planet and our orbit motion and its own obit separate us fairly quickly. But it will stay as bright as other 1st magnitude stars into summer among the stars of Virgo and then into Cancer.
Get out and enjoy what the sky offers this first full month of spring!!
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