A Solar Eclipse!

The most important event this month — of course — is the nearly-total Solar Eclipse on Monday April 8th. From North Adams, we’ll experience 96% totality.

Eclipse Event!

1st contact: 2:15 PM

Mid-Eclipse: 2:50 PM

Maximum coverage: 3:25 PM

4th contact 4:35 PM

The eclipse runs from 2:15 to 4:35 PM with maximum lunar coverage of the Sun’s disk at 3:25 PM.

The NAPL is sponsoring an event with the NBAS to help everyone experience and appreciate this rare opportunity: the next total eclipse of the Sun from North Adams isn’t until 2079!

If you don’t have special “eclipse glasses” — remember you can use a colander, or the sunlight projected through leaves on a tree, or crossing the fingers in your hands to safely observe the eclipse!

Springtime Comets

There are a few comets in the April skies. One is fairly bright but might be a challenge to find in the twilight after sunset, the others are faint (you’ll need a telescope) but above the horizon for most of the night. ### 12P/Pons-Brooks

12P/Pons-Brooks

12P/Pons-Brooks starts the month in Aries, moving into Taurus, and passing Jupiter in the sky mid-month (Apr 15). It has a 71-yr period, and gets closest to the Sun on Apr. 21. While it’s possible that it’ll be bright enough to see with the naked eye (as it’s prone to eruptions), it should be easily findable with binoculars.

C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)

This comet is in Virgo, and very faint (11th mag) as it’s still 3 AU from the Sun. This could be 2024’s prize comet as it brightens up this Fall.

62P/Tsuchinshan

Finally, it’s the last chance to see this comet (mag 11-13), which is close to 4th mag star ο Vir all month.

This Month’s Image

NGC 3628 - the “Hamburger Galaxy” is part of the Leo Triplet (with M 65 and 66), edge-on with a very prominent dust lane. It’s one of many fascinating galaxies in the Spring skies.