In April 2024, skywatchers can get pleasure from a complete photo voltaic eclipse seen throughout the U.S., with Mars and Saturn rising collectively early within the month, and Jupiter and the crescent Moon pairing up on April 10. Comet 12P will even be seen, making for a packed month of celestial occasions. Credit score: SciTechDaily.comWhat are some skywatching highlights in April 2024? Catch Mars and Saturn rising, and Jupiter hangs out with Comet 12P. Plus NASA has you lined for the entire eclipse whether or not you’re headed to totality or watching from afar.Whole Eclipse Time!A complete photo voltaic eclipse sweeps throughout the U.S. on April 8. U.S. areas exterior totality will get pleasure from a partial eclipse and might be part of NASA’s stay eclipse webcast!HighlightsAll month – Jupiter is a superb, regular mild low within the western sky following sundown.April 8 – Whole photo voltaic eclipse throughout the U.S., because the Moon’s shadow strikes from Texas northward by means of Maine. Exterior the trail of totality, the remainder of the continental U.S. will expertise a partial eclipse. The quantity of the Solar lined by the Moon at most eclipse will depend on your distance from the trail of totality.April 8-12 – Mars and Saturn rise collectively within the hour or so previous dawn. They’re closest on April 10 & 11 – about half a level aside, or the width of the complete Moon.)April 10 – Discover the slim lunar crescent (solely 7% illuminated) hanging above sensible Jupiter within the west after sundown. Comet 12P is seen with binoculars or a small telescope about 6 levels beneath the Moon, slightly below and to the fitting of Jupiter.April 23 – Full moonSky chart displaying Mars rising with Saturn through the second week of April. They’re closest on April 10 and 11. Credit score: NASA/JPL-CaltchVideo TranscriptWhat’s Up for April? Some easy-to-spot planets, there’s nonetheless time to watch comet 12P, and the way to get pleasure from this month’s photo voltaic eclipse if you happen to’re not within the path of totality.For a number of days within the first half of April, early risers can watch Mars and Saturn rising collectively within the morning. Looking about half an hour earlier than dawn, you’ll find them low within the east, about 10 levels above the horizon. They’re at their closest on April tenth and eleventh, however nonetheless actually shut within the sky the entire second week of April.Now, on the night of April tenth you’ll find the Moon with Jupiter within the west. Jupiter’s simple to determine as a shiny, unflickering mild, low within the west following sundown, all month. Being simply a few days after its “new moon” part, the Moon reveals solely 7% of its illuminated floor on this night, making for a ravishing crescent shining there with the large planet Jupiter.Sky chart displaying The crescent Moon above Jupiter and Comet 12P within the western sky following sundown on April 10. Credit score: NASA/JPL-CaltechThis can also be a superb night time to take a look for comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, which has been getting brighter, and is well observable with binoculars or a small telescope, particularly if you may get away from shiny metropolis lights. The comet can be simply beneath the Moon, and good of Jupiter, however you’ll should be fast, because it drops beneath 10 levels elevation an hour after sundown after which units an hour later. So that you’ll need a clear view towards the horizon, and be searching for it as twilight ends. If you wish to catch this comet, do it quickly, as a result of it will likely be too near the Solar within the sky to observable after mid-April, and later when it makes its closest strategy to Earth, it will likely be on its method outward from the Solar and rising fainter.2024 Whole Photo voltaic EclipseThere’s a complete photo voltaic eclipse on the way in which, and it’s sort of an enormous deal. We’ve been actually lucky to have two complete eclipses seen throughout a large swath of the U.S. lately, first in 2017, and now on April eighth, 2024. The subsequent time such an eclipse will cross the States is 21 years from now. In case you stay in or close to the trail of totality, otherwise you’re touring there to expertise the eclipse, you’re in for an unbelievable expertise.The whole photo voltaic eclipse can be seen alongside a slim monitor stretching from Texas to Maine on April 8, 2024. A partial eclipse can be seen all through all 48 contiguous U.S. states. Credit score: NASA/Scientific Visualization Studio/Michala Garrison; Eclipse Calculations By Ernie Wright, NASA Goddard House Flight CenterBut what if you happen to’re not going to have the ability to expertise totality for this eclipse in individual? What are you able to anticipate, and how will you nonetheless get pleasure from it? Nicely for starters, NASA has you lined with a stay webcast, from a number of areas, because the Moon’s shadow strikes throughout the nation. So be part of us for the entire eclipse on-line, no matter your plans.In case you’re anyplace within the continental U.S. exterior of totality, you’ll nonetheless expertise a partial photo voltaic eclipse. The quantity of the Solar to be lined by the Moon at most eclipse will depend on how far you might be from the trail of totality.In observing a partial eclipse, you’ll nonetheless want to make use of specialised eye safety, equivalent to eclipse glasses, a pinhole projector, or a telescope with a photo voltaic filter. One of many best strategies is one thing most of us have in our kitchen – a daily colander. These make wonderful pinhole cameras that undertaking the eclipse onto the bottom. And barring that, the solar dapples that filter by means of the tree leaves do one thing very related. It’s additionally enjoyable to notice the eerie method the daylight dims through the eclipse, particularly in locations the place the Moon covers 80% or extra of the Solar’s disk.NASA has a bunch of eclipse sources that will help you prepare for this awe-inspiring celestial occasion. There’s information on safe-viewing, citizen science alternatives, and also you’ll even discover our “eclipse explorer,” the place you’ll find eclipse particulars to your particular zip code.From wherever you’re observing, photo voltaic eclipses are outstanding occasions. So observe safely, and be part of our stay webcast, as a result of it’s an occasion you absolutely don’t need to miss.Listed below are the phases of the Moon for April.The phases of the Moon for April 2024. Credit score: NASA/JPL-Caltech