Find these visible planets from mid-March 2022 to early on April: Venus blazing in the east before sunrise; Mars and Saturn, also in the due east before sunrise; Jupiter, emerging in the east before sunrise by late March or early Apr. Mercury volition return to the evening sky past mid-April, for its best evening apparition for the Northern Hemisphere. Visible planets in depth below.
In this commodity:
Night heaven guide March-April 2022
Mid-March to early Apr 2022 visible planets in depth
March-April 2022 heliocentric solar organization
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Night sky guide March-Apr 2022
By mid-March: iii morning planets
By mid-March, both Southern and Northern Hemisphere observers tin spot 3 planets – Venus, Mars and Saturn – in the eastern predawn sky. Venus will accomplish its greatest elongation on March 20, 2022. Where is Mercury? Northern Hemisphere observers will have a tough fourth dimension spotting Mercury at any time in March 2022. Simply Mercury was visible to Southern Hemisphere observers until nigh mid-March. From mid-March onward, information technology's in the sunrise glare. Mercury will accomplish superior conjunction (when it's behind the sun from Earth) on April 2, 2022. Then information technology volition return to the evening sky. Nautical chart by John Jardine Goss.
All night March 17: full moon, Regulus and Denebola
From the Americas, wait east in early on to mid-evening on March 17, 2022 for the rising full moon. The bright stars nearby are Regulus, Middle of the Lion in Leo, and Denebola, the King of beasts's Tail. Read more most the March 2022 full moon.
March 20: The vernal equinox
Here are 4 photos of quarter-Earths seen from space, showing equinoxes and solstices. The March equinox – as well called the vernal equinox – marks the beginning of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumn flavor in the Southern Hemisphere. The March 2022 equinox volition arrive on March xx at fifteen:33 UTC. That's x:33 a.m. Central Daylight Fourth dimension. Epitome via Geosync. Read more about the March equinox.
Tardily evening on the equinox: Moon and Spica
As the day of the March equinox is waning – before midnight, or around late evening – watch for the eerily shaped waning gibbous moon to ascend over your eastern horizon. Information technology'll exist near the bright star Spica, in Virgo the Maiden. Spica is really two stars, very shut together in infinite, whirling around each other in only 4 days.
Morning of March 23: moon and ruby-red star Antares
By morning of March 23, 2022, the moon will have waned to its terminal quarter stage. It'll be rise in the eye of the nighttime, and highest upward at dawn. The reddish star about the moon will be Antares, brightest light in Scorpius the Scorpion. Antares is considered to be the Heart of the Scorpion. It'south a red supergiant star, in the concluding stages of its life. Come across its red color?
Mornings of March 27 and 28 for Northern Hemisphere
With all the planets amassed in the eastern predawn sky, it's only logical that the waning crescent moon should sweep by them. And and then it does, around March 27 and 28. Beautiful!
Mornings of March 28 for Southern Hemisphere
This chart is the Southern Hemisphere counterpart of the chart above. Notice the greenish line on this chart – the ecliptic – in contrast to the chart to a higher place. Information technology'southward autumn now in the Southern Hemisphere. And the bending of the ecliptic is ever steep on autumn mornings. Meanwhile, in the chart above, you can see that the bound angle of the ecliptic – for u.s. in the Northern Hemisphere – is narrow. Chart by John Jardine Goss.
By late March (maybe): Jupiter emerging from dawn
Bright Jupiter might poke higher up your eastern horizon shortly before sunrise by late March. Will you see information technology, beneath the other planets? Maybe … if your skies are clear and you have an unobstructed horizon. Jupiter will render in hostage in April!
April ii: Young crescent moon
The very thin crescent moon floats just above the western horizon later on sunset. Chart via John Jardine Goss.
Mornings of April iv and 5: Mars and Saturn conjunction
On April iv and v, 2022, look depression in the sunrise direction, perchance an hour before sunrise. Red Mars and gilt Saturn volition await like side by side-door neighbors on the sky'south dome. Note the difference in Saturn's position with respect to Mars from April 4 to April v. Their conjunction – when the ii planets will have the same correct rising on our sky's dome – will come up at 22 UTC on April 4. At that time, Mars will be 0.3 degrees S. of Saturn. Illustration via John Jardine Goss.
Evenings of April 4 and v: crescent moon by famous star clusters
On Apr 4 and 5, 2022 – in the evening sky – the crescent moon visits 2 famous star clusters located in the constellation Taurus the Bull. The Hyades cluster is shaped like the alphabetic character V. Aldebaran, brightest star in the 5, is not a true cluster fellow member. The Pleiades star cluster – aka the Seven Sisters – is shaped like a tiny misty dipper of stars. Expect west after sunset for the moon and these beautiful clusters, which are virtually to get out the evening sky. Illustration via John Jardine Goss.Here's another chart for April 5. A immature, waxing crescent moon lies not far from the vivid star Aldebaran and the Pleiades star cluster in the constellation Taurus the Bull. Look later dusk on Apr 5 to find this charming trio. Chart via John Jardine Goss.
April viii and ix evenings: Castor and Pollux by the moon
The moon passes the bright stars Brush and Pollux in Gemini the Twins on Apr viii and 9. The moon reaches its 1st-quarter phase on April 9. Nautical chart via John Jardine Goss.
April 11 and 12 evenings: Regulus and the moon
On April xi and 12, a waxing gibbous moon passes close to the brightest star in Leo the King of beasts: Regulus. Chart via John Jardine Goss.
By mid-April: 4 planets from the Northern Hemisphere
Some of you might take glimpsed Jupiter near the sunrise as early every bit late March, 2022. Past mid-April, we'll all see Jupiter in the sunrise direction, virtually an hr before the sunday comes up. Y'all'll recognize it hands as the 2nd-brightest planet, after Venus. Here is the placement of the four bright planets in the morn sky effectually mid-April, as viewed from the Northern Hemisphere. The same four planets are visible from the Southern Hemisphere, too. Meet the chart beneath.
By mid-April: 4 planets from the Southern Hemisphere
Annotation the contrast between this chart and the one above. The same iv planets – Jupiter, Mars, Saturn and Venus – tin can be seen earlier sunrise, with Jupiter closest to the sunrise point. But it's autumn at present in the Southern Hemisphere. So the ecliptic, or sun's path, makes a steep angle to the morning horizon, placing the planets loftier above the sunrise.
April 15 and 16 evenings: Moon and Spica
If you're enjoying the full or most total moon on April 15 and 16, you'll probably find a bright star nearby. That star is Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. Chart via John Jardine Goss.
April 15 to 29, peaking on 22nd: Lyrid shooting star shower
Lyrid meteors radiate from near the bright star Vega in the constellation Lyra the Harp. You don't demand to identify Vega or Lyra in order to sentry the Lyrid meteor shower. Simply you lot do need to know when the radiant rises, in this case in the northeast before midnight. That's why the Lyrids are typically best betwixt midnight and dawn, and why the last quarter moon will interfere with the shower in 2022. You'll see the nearly meteors after the radiant has come over the horizon. The meteors radiate from there but will announced unexpectedly in whatever and all parts of the heaven. Read more about Apr'southward Lyrid meteor shower.
April xix and 20 mornings: Moon and Antares
For those up early on Apr 19 and 20, you may be request, "What'due south that bright star by the moon?" That cherry star is Antares in the constellation Scorpius. A waning gibbous moon is west of Antares on April 19 and e of the ruddy star on Apr 20. Its phase volition shrink a bit from one dark to the next. Chart via John Jardine Goss.
April 20-30 evenings: Mercury nears the Pleiades
Watch Mercury starting effectually April 20, when it's low in the west afterward sunset. You'll see the closest planet to the lord's day steadily climb closer to the Pleiades star cluster every night until April 30, when Mercury and the Pleiades are right next to each other. In our chart, Mercury follows the white line upward and gets dimmer as it nears the Pleiades, which is represented by the shrinking circumvolve. Chart via John Jardine Goss.
April 24 and 25 mornings: Crescent moon near Saturn and Mars
The waning crescent moon lies w of Saturn on the morning time of April 24 and east of Saturn on April 25. On that morning time, information technology appears betwixt Mars and Saturn. Chart via John Jardine Goss.
Apr 26 and 27 mornings: Crescent moon near 3 planets
The thin waning crescent moon first passes Mars on the morning of April 26, then hovers below Jupiter and Venus on the morn of April 27. Chart via John Jardine Goss.
On Apr xxx: A deep partial solar eclipse
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | The April thirty, 2022, eclipse will be a partial, but deep, eclipse, not different to the eclipse shown in this photograph. It'southward visible from the southeast Pacific, and south South America. Our friend James Trezza in Cedar Beach, Mountain Sinai, New York, captured this photo of the partial solar eclipse on June x, 2021. He wrote: "Solar eclipse 2021! Nothing similar perfect timing with a bird flying through the frame during the eclipse." Thanks, James, and yes! Read more than about the April 30, 2022 solar eclipse.
In tardily April: Don't miss the Jupiter-Venus conjunction
Take hold of the 2 brightest planets – Venus and Jupiter – close together around the end of April and beginning of May, 2022. The moon volition join the scene on April 27. This chart likewise shows that Jupiter volition be on one side of Venus on April xxx and the contrary side on May one. That'south because the 2 planets' conjunction – when they pass one another in correct ascension – comes at 19 UTC on April 30. At that time, Venus will exist 0.2 degrees Due south. of Jupiter. Also, reddish Mars on the far right. Right at present, considering it's yet far ahead of us in orbit, Mars can't compete in brightness with Venus and Jupiter! Illustration via John Jardine Goss.
On the night of May 15-sixteen: A full eclipse of the moon
A total lunar eclipse sweeps beyond the Americas, Europe, and Africa during the night of May 15-16, 2022. The moon volition enter Earth'south shadow at 10:28 p.m. EDT on May fifteen, condign completely eclipsed nigh one hour afterwards. This total eclipse is central, pregnant the moon'southward deejay actually passes through the centrality of Earth's umbral shadow. Because they are so deep, such eclipses typically take the longest total phases. In this case, the duration of totality lasts nearly an hour and a half: 84.nine minutes! Chart by John Jardine Goss. Read more than most the May xv-15 total lunar eclipse.
Mid-March to early Apr 2022 visible planets in depth
Mercury
Southern Hemisphere skywatchers had a swell apparition of Mercury before sunrise in early March 2022. But, past about mid-calendar month, Mercury lies too close to the eastern horizon to be hands seen from any role of Earth. Mercury – the innermost planet – is now fleeing ahead of usa in its smaller, faster orbit effectually the sun. It'll reach superior conjunction – that is, exist most directly backside the sun from Earth – on April 2. Information technology'll then re-sally into the western sky after sunset, giving the Northern Hemisphere its best Mercury apparition of this year.
Venus, Mars and Saturn
Brilliant Venus is piece of cake to spot in the southeast before sunrise because it is the brightest object in the sky, except for the passing moon. Always since information technology passed between the sunday and Globe in Jan, the planet has been swinging away from the sun, and, as a result, has been appearing college in the southeastern sky before sunrise. On March xx, Venus reaches its farthest angular altitude (greatest elongation) from the sun. Later on, it will slowly move a trivial closer to the horizon each morn over the adjacent seven months.
Mars
Y'all'll find Mars in the same part of the sky equally Venus. Merely, because information technology'south not nearly as brilliant equally Venus, Mars can be overlooked. It started the month v degrees (or one binocular field) below Venus. As March mornings take continued, information technology has moved west of Venus, always remaining ane binocular field away from the bright planet. Notice Mars' color. Information technology's called the Red Planet for a reason.
Mars is at present beginning a new bicycle of visibility in our sky. Throughout 2022, it'll brighten and shift into our evening sky, as Earth draws up behind Mars in our smaller, faster orbit around the sun. Earth and Mars will be closest on December 1. Our two worlds will be most nearly on a line in space – bringing Mars to its once-in-two-years opposition – on the night of December seven-8.
Saturn
At the beginning of March, Saturn lay too depression to a higher place the sunrise horizon to be seen by Northern Hemisphere skywatchers (although Southern Hemisphere observers might accept glimpsed it). After mid-March, though, the ringed planet can exist establish shining dimly, close to the sunrise, near the horizon as the dawn low-cal is rising. As the mornings laissez passer in March, Saturn moves toward Venus and Mars in the sky. On March 24 it forms an interesting flat isosceles triangle with those other two planets. Four mornings later, on March 28, the thin crescent moon joins to the scene. By the terminal morning of March, Saturn volition accept moved so that it lies in between Venus and Mars.
Saturn is likewise just beginning its cycle of visibility in Globe's heaven. It'll come to opposition – ascent at sunset, highest at midnight, setting at sunrise – on August 14.
Jupiter
Jupiter hides in the solar glow for virtually of March 2022. The mighty planet reaches its superior conjunction (when it'due south virtually directly behind the sun equally seen from Earth) on March 5. As March ends, Jupiter is but offset to emerge from the morning twilight. Southern Hemisphere observers will see it best in late March. But you might glimpse it from the Northern Hemisphere, as well, particularly if you're at a southerly breadth in this hemisphere (say, the southern U.Southward. or like latitudes). Call back, Jupiter will be very brilliant! It's second but to Venus. And so prepare to spot Jupiter on a late March or early April morn, when you'll find it beaming out, perhaps surprisingly, from the eastern dawn glow.
Much like Saturn, Jupiter will spend 2022 shifting from the morning to the evening sky. It opposition will come up on September 26.
March-Apr 2022 heliocentric solar arrangement
The sun-centered nautical chart below comes from Guy Ottewell. Yous'll find charts similar these for every month of 2022 in his Astronomical Calendar. Guy Ottwell explains:
In these views from ecliptic north, arrows (thinner when south of the ecliptic plane) are the paths of the four inner planets. Dots along the rest of the orbits are 5 days apart (and are black for the part of its grade that a planet has trodden since the showtime of the year). Semicircles bear witness the sunlit side of the new and full moon (vastly exaggerated in size and altitude). Pairs of lines indicate outward to the more remote planets. Phenomena such as perihelia (represented by ticks) and conjunctions (represented past lines between planets) are at dates that can exist found in the Astronomical Agenda. Grayness covers the one-half of the universe below the horizon around 10 p.m. at mid- month (as seen from the equator). The zodiacal constellations are in directions from the Earth at mid-month (not from the sun).
View larger. | Heliocentric view of solar system, March 2022. Nautical chart via Guy Ottewell.View larger. | Heliocentric view of solar system, April 2022. Chart via Guy Ottewell.
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Bottom line: Where have all the planets in the evening heaven gone? In early March 2022, they've all shifted to the morn sky. Visible planets and more, here.
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John Jardine Goss
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About the Author:
"I can sometimes run across the moon in the daytime" was a cosmic revelation that John Jardine Goss start discovered through personal observations when he was six years onetime. It shook his immature concept of the universe and launched his interest in astronomy and stargazing, a fascination he notwithstanding holds today. John is past president of the Astronomical League, the largest U.S. federation of astronomical societies, with over 20,000 members. He's earned the title of Primary Observer and has authored the celestial observing guides Exploring the Starry Realm and Carpe Lunam. John likewise writes a monthly stargazing column, Roanoke Skies, for the Roanoke Times, and a bimonthly column, Skywatch, for Blue Ridge State magazine. He has contributed to Sky and Telescope magazine, the IDA Nightscape, the Astronomical League's Reflector magazine, and the RASC Observer's Handbook.
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