* Astronomy

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RE: April 2015

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The Moon is close (Separation 6°) to Jupiter on the 26th April

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Maximum easterly lunar libration is at 03:39.6 UT, 23rd. Look towards Mare Crisium.

Maximum northerly lunar libration is at 22:04.86 UT, 23rd. Look towards the lunar North Pole

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The Martian dust storm season ends on the 22nd April

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Maximum Southerly lunar libration is at 06:27.5 UT, 11th. Look towards the lunar South Pole.

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Maximum westerly lunar libration is at 03:24.2 UT, 10th April. Look towards crater Grimaldi.

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Venus is near (separation ~45') to Delta Arietis (HD 19787) at 01:47 UT, 4th April 2015.

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Asteroids at Opposition

Asteroid (704) Interamnia is at Opposition in the constellation Centaurus on the 12th April 2015.
Magnitude: 11.3 V
Distance to Earth: 2.582 AU
Distance to Sun: 3.525 AU

Asteroid (111) Ate is at Opposition in the constellation Virgo on the 12th April 2015.
Magnitude: 11.4 V
Distance to Earth: 1.570 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.567 AU

Asteroid (20) Massalia is at Opposition in the constellation Virgo on the 20th April 2015.
Magnitude: 9.3 V
Distance to Earth: 1.458 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.463 AU

Asteroid (64) Angelina is at Opposition in the constellation Virgo on the 22nd April 2015.
Magnitude: 10.9 V
Distance to Earth: 1.599 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.604 AU

Asteroid (19) Fortuna is at Opposition in the constellation Virgo on the 23rd April 2015.
Magnitude: 10.7 V
Distance to Earth: 1.824 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.829 AU

Asteroid (11) Parthenope is at Opposition in the constellation Virgo on the 23rd April 2015.
Magnitude: 9.7 V
Distance to Earth: 1.507 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.507 AU

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Meteor Showers

This month sees the arrival of the Lyrids and the Virginids. Neither shower is very intense, but they do provide you with examples of shooting stars with different speeds: the fast Lyrids compared to the slower Virginids.
The peak of the April Lyrids (from the constellation of Lyra, the Harp) is at 01:00 UT, 23rd, when you could see a maximum of about 15 meteors an hour.
The Virginids peak at 10:00 UT, on the 18th with 5 meteors an hour.
Watch out for sporadic meteors. Their rates for the Northern Hemisphere are now reaching a plateau. Expect around 12 random meteors per hour during the morning hours

Shower	Activity Period	Maximum	Radiant		Velocity	ZHR
		Date	R.A.	Dec.	km/s
Kappa-Serpentids	April 1 -7	Apr. 6	231°	17.8°	46.3	4
Zeta Cygnids	Mar 27 to April 13	Apr. 6	295°	37	44	2
Gamma Virginids	Jan 25 to April 18	Apr 11	195°	-04°	33	4.6
Alpha-Virginids	Mar 22 - Apr 26	Apr 18	185°	9.6°	20.1	5
Lyrids	April 19 - 25	Apr 23	271°	+34°	49	15
Pi Puppids	April 18-25	Apr 23	110°	-45°		18