Night Sky Highlights for April-June 2020
Solar System
Comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS)
This is expected to be a fairly bright comet that will pass through Camelopardalis and Perseus during April and May. It may be visible to the naked eye in the northwestern sky after sunset. Just how bright it will get is hard to predict, but keep it in mind during the spring months. Here is a finder chart:
https://www.skymania.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/comet_ATLAS_april-may.png
Mercury
This elusive planet will be low in the west after sunset in late May, and it will be about a degree from much brighter Venus on May 21 and 22. It will be furthest from the Sun on June 4, a good time to look for it.
Venus
In April and May, Venus will glow brilliantly in the west after sunset. Its crescent shape will be easily visible through a telescope or binoculars. By June it will be too close to the Sun to observe.
Mars
Mars will be prominent in the morning sky throughout the spring, gradually increasing in size and brightness as it get closer to Earth. By the end of May it reaches magnitude 0.
Jupiter and Saturn
These two gas giants will put on a naked-eye show throughout the rest of 2020 and into 2021 as they appear close together in our night sky. By the end of April they will be just 5 degrees apart in the region of Capricornus and Sagittarius. They will be visible in the early morning hours during April and May, and in June they will be rising in the east around midnight.
Uranus
Uranus will be close to the Sun and very difficult to observe throughout the spring months.
Neptune
Neptune will be in Aquarius, and can be observed with a telescope in the morning sky. To find it you will need a go-to scope or a finder chart such as the one in this article from the Sky & Telescope website:
www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/planets/ice-giants-neptune-and-uranus/
Deep Sky Objects
If you have a telescope of moderate aperture, spring is a great time to explore distant galaxies, including the many galaxies of the Coma-Virgo cluster. Some are in Messier’s catalog, but there are also some impressive galaxies that are listed in the New General Catalog (NGC). Click on the link after each object to get a star-hopping chart with directions for finding it in the sky.
Messier 65, 66, and NGC 3628, the Leo Trio
Galaxies in Leo
The three galaxies of this well-known trio will all fit in a 1-degree field of view, and they are bright enough to be seen with even small telescopes. Messier 65 and 66 appear oval with brighter centers. NGC 3628 is larger and more elongated but dimmer and more challenging to see. Star-hop chart
Messier 87
Galaxy in Virgo
Messier 87 is one of the largest elliptical galaxies visible in small telescopes. A member of the Coma-Virgo group, it contains about a trillion stars. In the center of the galaxy is a massive black hole, from which a jet of material is being expelled. It takes a very large telescope to spot the jet visually, however. Star-hop chart
Messier 89 and 90
Galaxies in Virgo
Messier 89 appears as a fairly small but bright circle, an elliptical galaxy with a dense center. Messier 90 is a spiral galaxy about 2/3 degree to the north-north-east of Messier 89. They are roughly 50 to 60 million light years away. Star-hop chart
Messier 94
Galaxy in Canes Venatici
The central region of this spiral galaxy is very bright, making it easy to find in even a small telescope. The bright central region is surrounded by tightly wound arms, and some of the spiral detail can be seen through the eyepiece of a large scope. The galaxy is relatively close, about 16 million light years away. Star-hop chart
NGC 4565, the Needle Galaxy
Galaxy in Coma Berenices
This large edge-on galaxy is a very impressive one. Its long spindle shape can extend across the eyepiece’s entire field of view, and its dark lane can be seen cutting through the bright nuclear region. Star-hop chart
NGC 4631, the Whale Galaxy
Galaxy in Coma Berenices
This nearly edge-on spiral galaxy has an asymmetrical shape that gives rise to its nickname, the Whale Galaxy. It is also known as the Herring Galaxy and Cadwell 32. Star-hop chart
NGC 4656, the Hockey Stick
Galaxy in Coma Berenices
Just 1/2 degree to the southeast of the Whale Galaxy, NGC 4656 can be seen in the same low-power field of view. It is an edge-on galaxy with a hook at one end that led to its nickname, the Hockey Stick. These two galaxies are estimated to be about 25 million light years away. Star-hop chart