Sunrise Sunset

Fri., April 6 6:16 7:12

Sat., April 7 6:15 7:13

Sun., April 8 6:13 7:14

Mon., April 9 6:11 7:15

Tues., April 10 6:10 7:16

Wed., April 11 6:08 7:17

Thurs., April 12 6:07 7:18

Fri., April 13 6:05 7:19

Tonight’s full moon appears near the bright star Spica in the zodiacal constellation Virgo. The ringed-planet Saturn is nearby. The three celestial objects form a line with Spica in-between.

On the Vineyard we call tonight’s full moon the Daffodil Moon, for it usually coincides with the flower’s blooming. Compared to past years, the daffodils have already passed their prime. Forsythia are in bloom.

In moving along the zodiac, the moon will appear lower in the southern sky. For those who are up late Tuesday night, the gibbous moon appears in the constellation Scorpius, not far from the bright red star Antares. Scorpius is one of the two southernmost zodiac constellations. In the early hours of Thursday morning, the moon is in Sagittarius, the second.

Planets

Nearly all the visible planets can be seen an hour after sunset. Venus is high in the west with Jupiter a short distance beneath, closer to the horizon. Mars is high in the east and the ringed-planet Saturn is near the eastern horizon. If you’ve got a good unobstructed view of the western and eastern horizons, you can see all four at about the same time. Above the eastern horizon there are two planets. Above the western horizon there are two planets.

Later in the evening, Saturn gets higher and is a lot easier to see. But at the same time in the west, Jupiter is about ready to set. Venus sets close to an hour after Jupiter.

M.A.L.