April’s Planetary Conjunctions: A Celestial Alignment of Mars, Saturn, Mercury, Venus, and More!
The month of April brings with it a spectacular display in the night sky – planetary conjunctions! These captivating alignments occur when two or more planets appear close together in the sky, creating a celestial meet-up that is visible from Earth. In April, we have not just one, but a quartet of these planetary conjunctions to look forward to.
The first conjunction to grace the skies is the Mars-Saturn conjunction on April 10th. At 18:46 GMT, these two planets will be visible to the naked eye, positioned just 0°24′ apart. Observers in the Southern Hemisphere will have the best view, with the planets soaring high above the eastern horizon in the morning. Those in the Northern Hemisphere may catch a glimpse just before sunrise as the planets hover closer to the eastern horizon.
Next up is the Mercury-Venus conjunction on April 19th. This conjunction will occur around 4:59 a.m. Eastern Time (08:59 GMT). Venus, shining brightly, will get really close to Mercury, a smaller and fainter planet. They’ll be approximately 1° and 41 minutes apart. Unfortunately, from most spots on Earth, they’ll be too close to the Sun to see. However, if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, you might just be able to catch Venus peeking above the eastern horizon early in the morning. Mercury, on the other hand, will be shy and hiding in the sunlight, making it harder to spot.
On April 20th, get ready for a truly spectacular show – the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction. These two planets only align once every 14 years, making this event particularly special. At around 3:30 a.m. Eastern Time (07:30 GMT), Jupiter, with its bright shine, will come close to Uranus, a dimmer and harder to spot planet. They’ll be just 31 minutes of a degree apart! To catch this conjunction, look towards the western horizon in the evening, right after the sun sets. If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, you’ll have a better view. However, if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, they may be closer to the horizon and tougher to see. It’s recommended to bring binoculars along, especially if you’re in a city with lots of lights, as Uranus is too faint to see with the naked eye.
Lastly, on April 29th, we have the Mars-Neptune conjunction. Look up at the sky around midnight Eastern Time (04:01 GMT) to witness Mars, the fiery red planet, swinging by Neptune, its much fainter neighbor. They’ll be incredibly close, only about 2 minutes and 14 seconds apart! In fact, this is even closer than the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction that captivated us in 2020. However, spotting Neptune will require some help, as it is quite dim. Binoculars or a telescope will be needed to spot both planets. Look towards the east in the early hours of the morning to catch this cosmic duo. If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, you’re in luck – you’ll have a clearer view of the show.
With these exciting planetary conjunctions lined up for April, it’s time to prepare for some stargazing. Whether you’re in the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Hemisphere, there are celestial wonders to behold. Grab your binoculars or telescope, find a spot with clear skies, and enjoy the celestial alignment of Mars, Saturn, Mercury, Venus, and more. Happy observations!
