Cool Things in the Sky

For the month of April 2024

The 8th day of this month brings us a solar eclipse. For us, it will be about a 90% partial. That is NOT total. We will not see the corona of the sun like we did in 2017 from this area. In order to see totality and the corona you will have to travel to the path of totality. Partial eclipse will begin at 1:49 pm, maximum coverage of 89% will occur at 3:07 pm and the eclipse will end at 4:23 pm. We will observe from the roof of the physics building from 1:30 pm until about 4:30 pm. We will have a limited supply of eclipse glasses to hand out. For information call 865-974-9601

Mars and Saturn pair up for the morning observers in the dawn sky this month. A very thin waning crescent moon hangs just below the ringed planet on the morning of the 6th. Mars heads in toward the sun for the rest of the month.

Jupiter sets around 10 pm by midmonth and is joined by a very thin waxing crescent moon on the 10th.

A nearly full moon will interfere with the April Lyrids when they peak on the 22nd at 3 am. Expect to see maybe 15 to 20 per hour. Remember, If you don’t look, you most certainly will not see any.

The moon phases for this month are last quarter on the 1st, new on the 8th, first quarter on the 15th and full on the 23rd.