Each Monday, I pick out North America’s celestial highlights for the week ahead (which also apply to mid-northern latitudes in the northern hemisphere), but be sure to check my main feed for more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and more.
The Night Sky This Week: April 8-14, 2024
Here comes that rarest of weeks for sky-watchers across North America—the chance to see a total solar eclipse. If you were not able to travel to the 115 miles wide path of totality that goes over northern Mexico, 15 U.S. States and five Canadian provinces then you’ll see a large partial solar eclipse. Let’s hope for clear skies!
Elsewhere in the sky is Comet Pons-Brooks, a short-period comet that loops around the sun every 71 years, which ought to be visible in binoculars this month alongside the moon as it emerges into the twilight evening sky in the days after the eclipse (this downloadable sky chart should help you find it).
It also happens to be the week of the “Shawwal Moon,” the sighting of which ends the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan and begins the feasting festival of Eid-al-fitr.
Here’s everything you need to know about eclipse-chasing, stargazing and astronomy this week:
Monday, April 8: A ‘Supermoon’ Total Solar Eclipse
A chance to experience totality only comes around every 366 years, on average, for any one place on the planet. So, to have two total eclipses of the sun inside seven years in North America is quite something. Today’s totality will last up to 4 minutes and 26 seconds, but geography will be everything.
Darkness in the day and a chance to see the sun’s spectacular corona with naked eyes will only be open to those who try to travel to the 115-mile wide path of totality that stretches from the Pacific coast of northwestern Mexico to Atlantic Canada. On the way, it will go through parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The rest of North America will experience a partial solar eclipse.
This total solar eclipse is also a “supermoon,” which makes perfect sense—only a larger-than-normal new moon can hope to cover over 100% of the sun. The moon reaches perigee—its closest point to Earth during its monthly orbit—on April 7 at 12:53 p.m. EDT, with the eclipse about 24 hours later. At the moment of eclipse the moon will be 1.057 the size of the sun.
Tuesday, April 9: The Youngest Crescent Moon
Tonight right after sunset a 2%-lit slim crescent moon will be visible in the southwestern sky, but will sink quickly after. You’ll need a low western horizon and a pair of binoculars to scan the still-bright twilight sky to find it. The crescent will hang below Jupiter, with comet 12P/Pons-Brooks between them. A crescent moon also means completely dark, moonless skies during the night.
Wednesday, April 10: Crescent Moon And Jupiter
A 7%-lit slim waxing crescent moon will be visible in the southwestern sky just after sunset, slightly higher than last night and in the sky for somewhat longer. Look for “Earthshine” on the crescent moon’s dark side—sunlight reflected from Earth’s ice-caps and clouds onto the moon’s surface. Jupiter will shine just below, with Uranus between them. Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks should be visible just below Jupiter.
Thursday, April 11: Crescent Moon In The Pleiades
A 14 %-lit slim waxing crescent moon will be visible in the southwestern sky just after sunset, slightly higher than last night and in the sky for somewhat longer. It will shine just above the Pleiades open cluster, with the bright star Aldebaran just to the left in Taurus. Again, look for “Earthshine” on the crescent moon’s dark side.
Eclipse Tip Of The Week: The Next Eclipse
It’s time to plan a trip to Europe for the continent’s first total solar eclipse on the mainland since 1999. On August 12, 2026 the path of totality will begin in Greenland, cross the western edge of Iceland then surge across the North Atlantic Ocean to engulf. It will just miss Madrid and Barcelona and cease just beyond the island of Majorca (Mallorca) in the Mediterranean Sea.
Maximum totality—2 minutes 18 seconds—will occur off the coast of the Icelandic capital city Reykjavik during cruising and whale-watching season (with a chance of northern lights), though many eclipse-chasers will be tempted by the prospect of catching the rare sight of a dramatic eclipsed sunset from the west coast of Majorca.
The next one in the U.S. is in Alaska on March 30, 2033.
The times and dates given apply to mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums like Stellarium and The Sky Live. Check planet-rise/planet-set, sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset times for where you are.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
