Today:
For reasons that scientists don’t yet understand, the aurora borealis, or “northern lights” are seen more frequently in April. The Sun, unusually quiet over the past few years, now shows a significant increase in sunspots and other solar activity, improving our chances of seeing some northern lights over the next few years.
Wednesday:
Orion is now very low in the western skies, by the end of twilight, his feet along the horizon by 9:00 PM, with his belt only visible with a perfect view to the west and southwest. Orion’s stars are among the brightest in the sky because they are relatively close by. Our Sun is among millions in a minor band of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy called the Orion Spur.
Thursday:
With a clear view of the eastern horizon, you can view a chalenging, yet eye-catching return of the planet Venus, having spent the winter in the evening skies, and now begins an early morning display through the summer and early fall. Adding to this brief view from 4:45 until 5:15 AM, the waning Crescent Moon shines to the right of Venus, both rather low in the east-southeast, lost in the Sun’s glare when it rises one half hour later.