The Moon The darker grey MAP blotches on the moon’s surface are the lunar ‘seas’, or Marek Kukula, of the ‘maria’. These plains of solidified lava, Cassiopeia Royal Observatory date back to the early days of the solar Greenwich, guides you system when giant Perseus cracked through April’s night sky open the moon’s crust, and molten Deneb Cepheus lava flowed out Getting started Camelopardalis Begin by trying to identify the more prominent star patterns with your Cygnus naked eye: the saucepan shape of The Plough, the “W” of Cassiopeia, or the bright of Gemini – Castor and Capella Pollux. Light pollution can actually Pole Star Auriga help as it blots out all but the brightest stars making it less confusing. Think about getting a basic telescope. Mine Vega Ursa Minor cost just £50 and it allows me to see Draco mountains and craters on the Moon, as well as the moons of Jupiter.

Gemini Our chart Lynx Appropriate for Hercules The Plough JUPITER stargazing around mid-April, from Saturn W anywhere in the UK Saturn will rise Ursa Major Pollux in the south-east later in the night. To the naked eye it appears as a bright, yellow-white star but Canis Minor Bootes a telescope will show Cancer the ’s disc and Leo Minor its famous rings

The Plough Procyon The Plough is quite Serpens far north, so never sets in our sky. It’s Arcturus even there in the day. The Plough is Leo an ‘asterism’ (group of stars), in the TOP TIP Regulus constellation Ursa The website MOON Major, the Great Moonwise tells Bear. Follow the you what phase handle and you’ll the moon is in reach Arcturus, the fourth brightest star in the sky, 26 times Virgo Hydra larger than the SATURN Libra MARS Spica You don’t need Set the After a few Crater A quick any special longest attempts you 1 kit. Just place 2 exposure 3 should be able guide to a digital camera on you can with your to see ‘star trails’ as (astro) a solid surface, and camera, ideally the other stars in the photography point it towards the a time of several sky appear to circle Pole Star minutes round Polaris S N

Mars Mars comes the closest it will to this year on 14 April. It will rise TOP TIP later in the evening A point of light There are several Cassiopeia in the south east, in moving swiftly great apps for the constellation of from west to east is smartphones Virgo and appears probably an artificial and tablets that Perseus as a prominent . The biggest can help you orangey-red object and brightest is the find your way around the night Deneb International Space Cepheus Station. The website sky in real time. Try Star Walk Camelopardalis heavensabove.com will tell you when the for iPhone/iPad Cygnus ISS is passing over or Sky Map for the UK. Remember to Android devices. wave in case the six Point your phone or tablet at the Capella astronauts on board are looking down sky, and it will tell Pole Star Auriga you what you are looking at

Vega Ursa Minor Draco

Cassiopeia The great winter constellations are giving way to those Lynx Gemini of summer. Orion Hercules JUPITER the Hunter, which The Plough dominated the E winter sky, has now The Pole Star slipped below the Also known as Ursa Major Pollux western horizon. the North Star, Instead look for Polaris (part of the Cassiopeia, which constellation Ursa forms a ‘W’ above Minor), appears the northern horizon static as the Earth Canis Minor Bootes rotates. This is Cancer because, it happens Leo Minor to lie directly above the Earth’s north Procyon pole. So if you’re pointing towards Serpens Polaris, you’re facing due north Arcturus Jupiter Jupiter is visible in the early evening. Leo The largest planet in the solar system Regulus appears as a very MOON bright star-like object in the Western part of the sky. If you have a telescope, TOP TIP you can see its four moons: Io, Europa, The Society Virgo Hydra Ganymede and for Popular SATURN Callisto Libra MARS is good at explaining Spica stargazing to Crater beginners. Or check out the What next? Federation of Why not enter the Astronomical Astronomy­ Societies Photographer­ of to find your the Year competition? local amateur It closes on 24 April, astronomy group see rmg.co.uk S for details