Star Almanack
Alexander Ferrari Miller

ISO 2025-W15

Week begins: Monday, April 7, 2025

Notation:

Calendar

DateZodiac dayEvents
Mon, Apr 7, 2025♈ 19
C53 / NGC 3115 · Spindle Galaxy / Finest NGC 49 / NGC 3115 · Spindle Galaxy — Telescope 9 — Tropical Spring
Tue, Apr 8, 2025♈ 20
C74 / NGC 3132 · Southern Ring Nebula — Telescope 8 — Southern Spring
α Sex — Binoculars 4 — Tropical Spring
Regulus (α Leo) — Naked eye 1 — Tropical Spring
C109 / NGC 3195 — Telescope — Antarctic Spring
Wed, Apr 9, 2025♈ 21
Thu, Apr 10, 2025♈ 22
Fri, Apr 11, 2025♈ 23
C79 / NGC 3201 — Telescope 7 — Southern Spring
Finest NGC 42 / NGC 3184 · MCG 7-21-37 — Telescope 10 — Northern Spring
Algieba (Gam-1) — Naked eye 2 — Tropical Spring
Sat, Apr 12, 2025♈ 24
Sun, Apr 13, 2025♈ 25
🌕 Full Moon · Seed Moon — 00:22:16 UTC
Finest NGC 50 / NGC 3242 · Ghost of Jupiter / C59 / NGC 3242 · Ghost of Jupiter — Telescope 9 — Tropical Spring
α Ant — Binoculars 4 — Southern Spring
β LMi — Binoculars 4 — Northern Spring

Weekly Solar-System Ephemeris

Snapshot: Week begins April 7, 2025, 00:00 UTC.

(-90° to +90°; defaults +45°, 21:00 LAT)

Notation:
Body☉︎☽︎☿︎♀︎♂︎♃︎♄︎
Ecliptic♈︎ 17°26′
β +0°00′		♌︎ 10°24′
β +3°51′		♓︎ 26°50′
β +0°03′		♓︎ 25°22′
β +6°00′		♋︎ 25°40′
β +2°31′		♊︎ 16°56′
β −0°18′		♓︎ 25°12′
β −1°57′
ObservingNightNaked eye -10.9Naked eye 1.4Naked eye -4.5Naked eye 0.6Naked eye -2.1Naked eye 1.2
Rise05:2812:1504:4604:1211:0108:1704:53
Set18:3203:2816:4216:4702:3523:4016:29

Extended targets:

Body⚳︎♅︎♆︎♇︎
Ecliptic♓︎ 16°08′
β −8°04′		♉︎ 25°02′
β −0°13′		♈︎ 0°17′
β −1°16′		♒︎ 3°38′
β −3°28′
ObservingTelescope 9.3Binoculars 5.8☉︎TelescopeTelescope 14.5
Rise05:0807:0405:0002:58
Set15:2721:4916:5711:47

β = ecliptic latitude (+ north, − south).
Rise and set are Local Apparent Time for the selected latitude.
Naked-eye observing uses the Sun’s altitude at the selected Monday observer time: Daylight (Sun ≥ −0.833°), Civil twilight (−0.833° to −6°), Nautical twilight (−6° to −12°), Astronomical twilight (−12° to −18°), and Night (below −18°).
Solar Glare identifies a body too close to the Sun when the sky-state rule does not already supersede its naked-eye classification.
The Sun’s observing status uses this same five-state sky classification.

Notation:

Planet Finder

Planet Finder — Greek / Symbols
Greek / Symbols
Planet Finder — English
English
Planet Finder — Mixed Learner
Mixed Learner

Sky Notes

Kilroy: Sky Notes · generated 2026-10-23 07:31:36 UTC

View:

ISO 2025-W15 runs from April 7 through April 13. Venus and Saturn are separated by about 0.2° in geocentric ecliptic longitude at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Mercury and Venus are separated by about 1.5° in geocentric ecliptic longitude at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot.

Naked eye: 🌕 Full Moon · Seed Moon — 00:22:16 UTC. Bright moonlight favors prominent stars and planets while reducing contrast on faint deep-sky objects. Use Regulus, Algieba as the week’s fixed-sky framework.

Regulus: The Heart of Leo's Sickle in the Night Sky — An exploration of the star marking the lion's chest, guiding stargazers through generations.

Algieba: The Bright Double Star of Leo's Sickle — A detailed look at Algieba, one of Leo’s prominent stars, renowned for its brightness and role in celestial navigation.

Planets: Moon: Naked eye; magnitude -10.9; direct motion; 69.6% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Opposition in ecliptic longitude Apr 13 00:22 UTC. Mercury: Naked eye; magnitude 1.4; retrograde motion; 18.7% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Station Apr 07 11:07 UTC: turns direct. Venus: Naked eye; magnitude -4.5; retrograde motion; 7.8% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Station Apr 13 01:02 UTC: turns direct. Conjunction with Saturn in ecliptic longitude Apr 07 11:01 UTC. Mars: Naked eye; magnitude 0.6; direct motion; 90.2% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Ceres: Telescope; magnitude 9.3; direct motion; 99.2% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Jupiter: Naked eye; magnitude -2.1; direct motion; 99.3% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Saturn: Naked eye; magnitude 1.2; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Venus in ecliptic longitude Apr 07 11:01 UTC. Uranus: Binoculars; magnitude 5.8; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Neptune: In solar glare; magnitude 7.8; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Pluto: Substantial telescope; magnitude 14.5; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot.

Binoculars: Trace Sextans’s charted figure in the finder, then identify α Sex at its charted position. Trace Antlia’s charted figure in the finder, then identify α Ant at its charted position. Trace Leo Minor’s charted figure in the finder, then identify β LMi at its charted position.

Alpha Sextantis: The Bright Figure Star of the Sextant Constellation — A prominent stellar landmark, Alpha Sextantis offers insights into stellar classification and celestial navigation.

Alpha Ant: The Star in the Constellation Ant — A prominent star serving as a key figure in the celestial tapestry of the constellation Ant, known for its precise position and significance in star catalogues.

Beta LMi: A Bright Beacon in the Leo Minor Sky — Discover the characteristics and significance of Beta LMi, a notable star in the constellation Leo Minor.

Small telescope: Spindle Galaxy: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; Southern Ring Nebula: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; NGC 3195: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; NGC 3201: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; MCG 7-21-37: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; Ghost of Jupiter: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance

The Spindle Galaxy: A Elusive Elliptical in Sextans — An overview of the intriguing characteristics and observational significance of the Spindle Galaxy.

The Southern Ring Nebula: A Celestial Gem in the Constellation Velorum — An overview of the Southern Ring Nebula, a captivating planetary nebula located in Velorum.

The Enigmatic Planetary Nebula in Chamaeleon: A Celestial Jewel — An overview of a captivating and scientifically intriguing planetary nebula located in the constellation Chamaeleon.

Vel's Globular Cluster C79: A Stellar Spherical Enigma — An exploration of the intriguing globular cluster nestled in the constellation Velpecula, illustrating its importance in understanding stellar populations.

MCG 7-21-37: A Distant Galaxy in Ursa Major — An overview of the galaxy cataloged as MCG 7-21-37, situated within the constellation Ursa Major.

The Ghost of Jupiter: A Celestial Phantom in Hydra — An intriguing planetary nebula that beckons stargazers with its ghostly allure and astrophysical significance.

Substantial telescope: No fixed-sky Calendar object is classified as requiring a substantial telescope this week.

Other objects listed this week: None

Mercury

Mercury: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 40.7° below the horizon. Rises 04:46; sets 16:42 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 1.4. The disk is 18.7% illuminated (crescent). It is 20.6° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is retrograde at 0.042° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Fumalsamakah, 12.0° away. Saturn is 2.6° away at the snapshot. Neptune is 3.7° away at the snapshot. Station Apr 07 11:07 UTC: turns direct. Mercury: 12.0° from Fumalsamakah in the Pathfinder.

Venus

Venus: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 37.5° below the horizon. Rises 04:12; sets 16:47 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -4.5. The disk is 7.8% illuminated (crescent). It is 22.8° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is retrograde at 0.245° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Fumalsamakah, 7.1° away. Station Apr 13 01:02 UTC: turns direct. Conjunction with Saturn in ecliptic longitude Apr 07 11:01 UTC. Venus: 7.1° from Fumalsamakah in the Pathfinder.

Moon

Moon: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 62.5° above the horizon. Rises 12:15; sets 03:28 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -10.9. The disk is 69.6% illuminated (waxing gibbous). It is 112.9° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 12.708° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Acubens, 9.6° away. Opposition in ecliptic longitude Apr 13 00:22 UTC. Moon: 9.6° from Acubens in the Pathfinder.

Mars

Mars: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 55.7° above the horizon. Rises 11:01; sets 02:35 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 0.6. The disk is 90.2% illuminated (gibbous). It is 98.2° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.361° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Pollux, 4.7° away. Mars: 4.7° from Pollux in the Pathfinder.

Jupiter

Jupiter: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 25.9° above the horizon. Rises 08:17; sets 23:40 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -2.1. The disk is 99.3% illuminated (nearly full). It is 59.5° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.166° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Elnath, 8.2° away. Jupiter: 8.2° from Elnath in the Pathfinder.

Saturn

Saturn: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 43.2° below the horizon. Rises 04:53; sets 16:29 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 1.2. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 22.3° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 0.117° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Fumalsamakah, 12.6° away. Mercury is 2.6° away at the snapshot. Conjunction with Venus in ecliptic longitude Apr 07 11:01 UTC. Saturn: 12.6° from Fumalsamakah in the Pathfinder.

Uranus

Uranus: binoculars at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 7.5° above the horizon. Rises 07:04; sets 21:49 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 5.8. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 37.6° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.049° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Aldebaran, 16.0° away. Uranus: 16.0° from Aldebaran in the Pathfinder.

Neptune

Neptune: in solar glare at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Rises 05:00; sets 16:57 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 7.8. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 17.2° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 0.037° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Fumalsamakah, 15.3° away. Mercury is 3.7° away at the snapshot. Neptune: 15.3° from Fumalsamakah in the Pathfinder.

Ceres

Ceres: telescope at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 54.0° below the horizon. Rises 05:08; sets 15:27 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 9.3. The disk is 99.2% illuminated (nearly full). It is 32.2° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 0.371° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Fumalsamakah, 17.3° away. Ceres: 17.3° from Fumalsamakah in the Pathfinder.

Pluto

Pluto: substantial telescope at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 60.2° below the horizon. Rises 02:58; sets 11:47 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 14.5. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 73.8° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 0.013° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Dabih, 8.1° away. Pluto: 8.1° from Dabih in the Pathfinder.