The Sky This Week from April 10 to 17 – Astronomy Magazine

Friday, April 10Tonight, try searching out star clusters in Cassiopeia the Queen. This circumpolar constellation is visible all night from much of the U.S. In more southerly states, you can catch the Queen early in the evening as she sets, then again early in the morning before dawn as she rises once more. Seek out the open cluster M103 just 1 east of Delta () Cassiopeiae. This 6'-wide cluster is visible in binoculars; a 4-inch telescope will resolve its brightest stars, while larger apertures reveal more of its scattered components.

From M103, hop a little less than 2 east to NGC 663, another open cluster. This object is much more densely packed than M103, with about 400 stars in a region 0.25 across. Some observers might be able to detect this cluster with the naked eye under excellent conditions, but binoculars or a telescope from any decent observing location should unveil its sparkling beauty.

From NGC 663, backtrack to M103, then swing 3 southwest to reach NGC 457. This uniquely shaped open cluster is called the Owl Cluster or the E.T. Cluster because it resembles an owl with outstretched wings (or the titular alien from Steven Spielbergs 1982 film, with his arms spread wide). Two bright stars are the figures eyes, while the rest of the clusters luminaries spread out to form the body to the northwest.

Saturday, April 11Tomorrow, April 12, marks the 59th anniversary of humanitys first foray into space: the launch of Yuri Gagarin aboard Vostok 1 on April 12, 1961. Today, the anniversary is celebrated worldwide under the title of Yuris Night or the World Space Party. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, in 2020 the celebration is moving online. You can find more information about the global webcast, which begins tonight (April 11) at 7 P.M. EDT, at https://party.yurisnight.net/globalwebcast.

Now waning after its super appearance last week, an 86-percent-illuminated Moon still makes a great target for both beginner and advanced observers in honor of the space races ultimate goal. Rising in the southeast just after 11 P.M. local time and remaining visible all night, the Moon spends tonight balanced atop the claws of Scorpius the Scorpion. You can find our satellite nearly 7 north of Antares, the scorpions bright red heart.

Sunday, April 12Asteroid 4 Vesta comes within 40' of Epsilon () Tauri tonight. At magnitude 8.4, Vesta is within reach of most binoculars, offering casual observers the chance to spot this main-belt asteroid. Potato-shaped Vesta measures about 300 miles (483 kilometers) across, making it the third-largest object in the main belt.

Scan 4 east of Epsilon to find NGC 1647, an open star cluster containing a few dozen stars between 8th and 11th magnitude. Drop about 3 southeast of Epsilon, and youll spot brilliant Aldebaran, Taurus brightest star. This famous giant is actually a low-level variable star, fluctuating in brightness by about 0.2 magnitude at irregular intervals.

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The Sky This Week from April 10 to 17 - Astronomy Magazine