In April, the winter constellations, including Orion and Auriga, begin to set in the western sky as they make their annual exit. Capella, a bright star in Auriga, shines above Jupiter in the evening sky. Capella is made up of four stars, with two large and bright ones that orbit closely together. The star is known for its color variations and rapid twinkling near the horizon due to Earth’s atmosphere.
As the spring stars start to dominate the night sky, Leo, the lion constellation, becomes prominent in the east and south. Look for the Sickle, a backward question mark of stars that outline the lion’s head and neck, with Regulus as the brightest star. The full moon in April will be the most distant of the year, appearing slightly smaller than usual.
The month will end with a young moon hanging above Jupiter, three days after its closest approach to Earth. Minnesota Starwatch provides skywatching updates and information from the Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics in Minneapolis.
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