A total solar eclipse will pass right across the US, Mexico and part of Canada on 8 April. Over 40 million people are expected to see the majestic sight of totality, with millions more able to see a significant partial. Find out how you can see the eclipse for yourself, as well as our usual weekly stargazing highlights in this week’s podcast guide, Star Diary, 8 to 14 April 2024.
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Chris: Hello and welcome to Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of BBC Sky at Night Magazine. You can subscribe to the digital edition of the magazine by visiting iTunes, Google Play, or Apple News, or to the print edition by visiting www.skyatnightmagazine.com.
Ezzy: Greetings listeners and welcome to Star Diary, a weekly guide to the best things to see in the northern hemisphere’s night sky. As we are based here in the UK, all times are in BST unless otherwise stated. In this episode, we’ll be covering the coming week from 8 to 14 April. I’m Ezzy Pearson, the magazine’s features editor, and I’m joined on the podcast today by Katrin Raynor, an astronomy writer and astronomer.
Thank you very much for joining us again Katrin.
Katrin: Hello, Ezzy, and thank you very much for having me back.
Ezzy: Yes, it’s very good to have you back on the show, especially because I know we’ve got something very big and exciting coming up this week. So what do we have looking forward to in this week’s night sky?
Katrin: Oh my gosh, yes, it is a very exciting week for astronomers everywhere, especially 8 April.
We have a total solar eclipse and it’s going to be just such a huge event for people who can actually see totality across the pond. But even for us in the UK or, you know, other countries where it’s not going to be visible, you know, you can watch it online.
Ezzy: Yeah.
Katrin: And take part in it and enjoy it. So yeah, we have the solar eclipse on 8th. We also have some planetary pairings this week and of course the comets to look forward to as well.
So 8th, well I mean it’s a huge day for our fellow astronomers across the pond. You know, we’ve talked about the solar eclipse, we’ve mentioned it, it’s going to be visible across four states in Mexico, 15 states across the US and seven provinces in Canada.
They’re going to enjoy around four minutes of totality. You know, the partial eclipse will start around 15:42PM UT and the greatest eclipse at 18:17PM UT the point of maximum eclipse will be seen from a very small village called Nazas in the Mexican state of Durango. And 40 million people will enjoy the awe and wonder that only a total solar eclipse can bring.
Ezzy: I think it’s 32 million people live in the path of totality which is just like an absurd number of people quite frankly.
Katrin: I wish I was one of those 32 million people.
Ezzy: Yeah, that would make it a lot easier to see one of these things than having to fly halfway around the world and go chasing them all over the place if they just
Katrin: It worked, yeah.
That would be amazing, wouldn’t it? Just, you know, some people have been planning eclipse trips for years.
Ezzy: Yeah.
Katrin: I’m sure there will be a lot of people from the UK. flying over to enjoy it. I mean, well, the last total solar eclipse I saw was, in 1999 in the UK. Did you see it?
Ezzy: I was annoyingly on holiday that week.
Katrin: Oh no.
Ezzy: Because I didn’t, I was too young at the time and I didn’t sort of like have that forward planning. And so I was away in Austria and I only saw a partial eclipse.
Katrin: Aww.
Ezzy: That was very annoying. However, I was lucky enough to get to go out to see the one in 2017.
Katrin: Oh, wow!
Ezzy: So, the previous one, seven years ago, in the States.
Katrin: Okay.
Ezzy: And definitely a trip to go and see a total eclipse is one of those things that I recommend everybody try and do once.
It is…. It’s just, you, it’s…
Katrin: I bet that was amazing.
Ezzy: It’s a, it’s an experience like no other it’s one of those things that I know a lot of people say it’s like, it’s this magical thing… but it really is. It’s the quality of the light looks slightly different. The world takes on this sort of strange washed out look and it doesn’t quite look real and you know, birds and animals start behaving strangely and you can see the stars in the middle of the day.
Plus the actual eclipse itself is a really beautiful sight to behold. So if you can get out and see an eclipse, it might be a bit late to plan something to go and see this one.
But fortunately the eclipses do come around and so maybe the next one.
Katrin: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, like I said, I remember the 1999 one.
I mean, it was totality was seen in Cornwall, wasn’t it? So being in South Wales, I probably didn’t see totality. But you know, it was pretty much a full eclipse from, you know, from what I could see. And I remember like you said, you know, the sky just darkened and it did get quite cold. It was amazing.
Ezzy: Yeah, it is… that’s actually a thing I’d forgotten. It gets cold. Because I was in the middle of Nebraska in the middle of summer. August, I think. So it was hot and I hadn’t brought a jumper with me and then it got cold. And I regretted that.
Yeah, I think people just don’t realize and they’re like, oh, it’s only for a few minutes, but you, it is noticeable.
But the, like the Moon’s blocking out the sun systematically for several hours.
Katrin: Yeah, it is. It’s incredible to see. So, you know, why does a total solar eclipse happen? Well, you know, these happen when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, and the Moon completely covers the Sun’s disc. Solar eclipses only occur during the new Moon, when the Moon and Sun are aligned on the same side of the Earth.
So, in other words, You know, when the Moon is in the daytime sky. The shadow that the Moon casts has two main parts. You’ve got the darker inner shadow called the umbra and a fainter outer shadow called the penumbra. Within the umbra, this is when the Sun’s light is completely blocked and in the penumbra the Sun’s light is only partially blocked.
Obviously, to see the total solar eclipse, an observer must be within the umbra or the darker inner shadow. And observers in the penumbra will witness a partial eclipse with only part of the Sun covered by the Moon. Those outside the Moon’s shadow, well, they just won’t see any eclipse at all. You know, there’s so much to see, isn’t there during a solar eclipse. You’ve got Bailey’s beads, um, the diamond ring effect.
Ezzy: Yeah. So that is where, because the surface of the Moon isn’t perfectly flat, it’s got mountains and valleys and things, just at that moment when it’s just about to perfectly cover the Sun. There’s a point where some places is being blocked by the top of the high mountains and light is getting in through the valleys in other places.
So you get this broken up diamond ring, which is called because it, it looks like a string of diamonds or Bailey’s beads.
Katrin: Yeah, that’s right.
Ezzy: It is hard to pronounce. And also these sort of like slightly reddish pink glowing features on the side as well.
Katrin: And I love seeing the photographs afterwards.
I just think that you say like the diamond ring effect and, and the Bailey’s beads, it’s just such a special moment during the eclipse, isn’t it? And then of course, the outer corona as well will be visible. I think it’s around two minutes during totality. And you can see, you know, it just looks like wisps of light, doesn’t it? Coming from behind the Moon.
Ezzy: Yeah, it depends exactly where you are, exactly how long totality lasts. I think the longest totality is in that region you called… Nazas in Mexico, which is four minutes and 28 seconds. So, this is a, actually a reasonably long eclipse, there are some which are longer.
Katrin: Yeah.
Ezzy: But, yeah, lucky people out there.
Katrin: I’m very jealous. I know! And I think as well, during totality, it may be possible to see Comet Pons-Brooks and Jupiter and Venus as well, when the sky gets dark. So that would be…
Ezzy: Oh, that would be good.
Katrin: …an amazing photo opportunity.
Ezzy: Yeah, I’m not entirely sure where the comets will be in relation to the sun at that time, but yeah, that would be a really interesting one.
If even just, just taking a comet… a picture of a comet that you took in the middle of the day. Yeah. That’s a picture with a story behind it, which I always like to see.
Katrin: Yes. Yeah. Well, as we mentioned, though, we’re not going to see it here in the UK, which is a real shame. But across Western areas of the country from Wales, Scotland and Ireland, we will see a partial eclipse around sunset.
So that’s starting around 19:55PM, obviously British summer time, so it’s going to look like a little, like tiny bite has been taken out of the Sun. The further west you go, the best chance you will have of seeing this partial eclipse. And as usual, the weather is going to play a crucial role in seeing it, but if you have a good clear and obstructed view, again, another great photo opportunity.
Ezzy: And if anybody does manage to get any good photos of either the eclipse or a comet during an eclipse or the view from the UK, please do send them in to www.skyatnightmagazine.com. The link is down below. We put the best images into the magazine, every issue, and we would always love to see your pictures of the eclipse.
So please do send them in to us. We love to see them.
Katrin: Yes, hopefully we’ll be flooded with images and we can enjoy looking at them all.
But it’s important to mention, I think, you know, if you are planning on viewing the partial eclipse, never look at the Sun without using eclipse glasses or putting solar filters on your binoculars or telescope.
Ezzy: Yes, safety is very much an important thing to consider with the Sun. You can quite badly hurt your eyes. You shouldn’t look at it with your naked eye. You definitely shouldn’t look at it through any kinds of optics, like binoculars or telescopes, unless it’s got a proper certified safety filter on it.
You should always check your eclipse glasses and your safety filters before you use them. Just make sure that they don’t even have a pinprick of light shining through them. They should be completely opaque if you’re just looking through them. And make sure you have them on throughout the entire partial phase.
The only time you can take it off is during complete totality. That’s how people get those pictures of the corona and stuff. But make sure you put anything back on by the time the totality has ended. Because you don’t want to burn your nice fancy expensive camera or telescope out. Or your eyes. I mean… who knows which is more important to some people, but… yes, do be very, very careful.
Katrin: It could be a very expensive trip.
Ezzy: Yeah. And also if you are at an event where there’s other people around, make sure that they are also paying attention to the rules. There is quite a fun trick you can see though. If you haven’t got eclipse glasses, but you still want to see some of the partial eclipse. Which is if you hold up something like a colander or something that’s got lots of small holes into it, to the Sun and you sort of cast its shadow down onto the ground. What you should see is all of those circular holes as the eclipse progresses, they start getting little bites out of. And so you can see the progress of the partial phase by looking at the holes in something like a colander. Or the dappled light through trees also does it.
Katrin: Yeah, and it’s such a fun way of viewing the eclipse, I think, you know, you’ve got, you know, 20 mini eclipses to enjoy.
Ezzy: I should say again, we have full guides on how to safely observe the eclipse online on our website if you want more details.
Katrin: And if you don’t have, you know, any proper equipment, it’ll be, you know, as I mentioned earlier, you’ll be able to watch it online.
I’m sure if you do a quick internet search, people out there streaming on social media channels or whatever.
Ezzy: Yeah, NASA already has their live stream lined up and there’s various other people who will be doing it as well.
So this is very good for people who are in the US, which I know a lot of our listeners are in the US.
If you don’t live in the eclipse path, or you don’t live near to it, I would really try and get into that path of totality. There is… even a 99 percent partial is not the same as totality. And it really is something that you should try and get to see. So, do go down there if you can.
For those who are not lucky enough to live in the path of totality, our UK listeners, the next eclipse that will be visible in the UK. The next time totality will go across the UK. You’ve got a bit of a wait on your hand.
Click here to find out all the eclipses due in the next few years
It’s 23 September, 2090. That’s nine-zero. So probably not going to be wanting to wait for that one. Fortunately, there are going to be two eclipses happening that are a little bit closer to home in the coming years. The first one’s going to be on 12 August, 2026.
That one, the path of totality, is going to be coming right across central Spain, up through Iceland. It’s actually going to go over the city of Reykjavik and also through Greenland as well.
So that’s going to be a really interesting one to go and from here in the UK. You’ll actually have a 90 percent partial, so a really good significant partial from the UK.
It’s not the same as getting totality but it could be an interesting one.
And then when your appetite’s been whet by that one, a year later on 2 August 2027 there’s going to be another eclipse, again going through Spain, this time just across the south edge of Spain.
It’s also going to be going across all the countries on the top of North Africa, such as Egypt and then passing through Saudi Arabia and Libya.
So lots of places where you’ll be able to see that path of totality. Slightly less good partial here in the UK, that will be only 40%.
So definitely that’s one. If you are looking for a date in the diary where you want to go out and capture a total eclipse, that’s somewhere nearer the UK, then August 2026 and 2027.
Those are the two dates that you’re going to want to put in your diary.
Katrin: Yes, I don’t think it will be around for the 2090 eclipse, will we, unfortunately?
Ezzy: No, not unless I very much change some aspects of my life.
Katrin: Do some cryogenic… I don’t know… yeah. I mean, Spain, I mean, that’s not far away, is it?
It’s only a couple of hours, so I’m already thinking, should I do this in 2027? That would be fantastic.
Ezzy: Definitely one to look into.
Katrin: Okay, so, you know, after the excitement of the eclipse, the rest of the week is set to be a great week. Although the planets aren’t well placed at the moment, there is still plenty going on to get outside, look up and enjoy the sky.
So on 10 April we have a nice couple of cosmic pairings. In the morning and just after their rising the Red Planet Mars and gas giant Saturn sits closely together. They’re going to be less than 1º apart.
And in the evening sky there’s going to be a lovely sight when the 5 percent lit thin crescent Moon pairs up with bright Jupiter and dim Uranus lies 1.8º to the northeast of Jupiter.
But make the most of Jupiter throughout April because by the end of the month it will have disappeared into the evening twilight.
So I, you know, I think I’m going to miss Jupiter because I have been looking at it through my Dobsonian, really fantastic views. So yeah, once that’s gone.
You know, I think I’m going to miss it until it reappears at the end of the year, I think.
Ezzy: I’m always a big fan of seeing Jupiter in the night sky. It’s usually one of the first things that you can see when it starts getting dark because, as has been mentioned before, I don’t live in the best place to be doing astronomy. But you can, when Jupiter’s up and about, you can always find it and he’s always there.
Yeah, so I will miss him.
Katrin: Yeah, it’s a good planet to see from the city.
So on 11th then the following morning we have Mars and Saturn, they’re even closer together in the bright morning sky in the east. But you know they are going to be very tricky to see because obviously it’s going to get very bright, very early.
And on 12th, Comet Pons-Brooks passes below Jupiter. So look to the west after 9:00PM and locate the gas giant in the sky. Grab a pair of binoculars and cast your eyes downwards from Jupiter to locate the comet.
And at this point as well, the Pleiades, Uranus, Jupiter and Pons-Brooks are going to make a spectacular sight all in alignment.
So again, you know, this is going to be a fantastic photo opportunity for anyone who wants to get out there and take a shot. And I’m looking forward to seeing this again, if the weather is going to play ball.
Ezzy: Always the weather.
Katrin: And before Jupiter disappears from the night sky, and if you haven’t already, take these last opportunities to catch a glimpse of the gas giant’s four moons.
So you have Io, Ganymede, Europa and Callisto. You won’t be able to see them with the naked eye, so you will need an optical aid. And I have actually managed to see the moons with a small 76mm Dobsonian telescope.
And that was a really special moment because I actually didn’t think, you know, I was going to see them through such a small scope.
But I picked up all four, although they were just like four pinpricks of light in the sky, it was still pretty breathtaking. And again, another moment I just haven’t forgotten.
Ezzy: The first time that you see sort of the moons of Jupiter, because that’s one of those things that blows my mind, is that with something that you can set up in your back garden, you can see a moon going around a planet that’s, I can’t remember how many kilometers away, but it’s a lot. There’s many, many zeros there and it just blows my mind.
Katrin: It is. I mean, it’s even like, you know, when you see the rings or just a ring of Saturn, you know, through a telescope, it’s just incredible because like you say, you think about how far away it is and you see so many images on TV or the internet, and to actually stand in your back garden and look through your telescope, you know, it can be a relatively inexpensive piece of equipment.
And you can see the outline of Saturn and the rings. It’s incredible.
So whilst you’re in this region of the sky, it is worthwhile locating the Andromeda Galaxy, M31, in the constellation of Andromeda, nearby and above the west northwestern horizon. If you’re in a dark sky area, you’ll be able to see Andromeda, or the Andromeda Galaxy, with your naked eye.
It’s the most distant object we can see with the naked eye, but using a small pair of binoculars, so, you know, 10x50s, it will bring out a central region and make it appear brighter.
And if you’re an astrophotographer, then again, another great photo opportunity here.
Ezzy: Seeing Andromeda with the naked eye was one of those things that I did when I was in like a properly, properly dark sky. So I was, I made a point of trying to find the Andromeda Galaxy and I convinced myself that I saw it.
Katrin: I’m sure you did. I know sometimes you think, am I making this up in my head? You know, am I, am I even looking in the right location for it? But I think, yeah, I mean, if you’re on a dark sky area is again, another one of those moments that you just never forget.
And yeah, to see a galaxy with a naked eye, it’s pretty incredible.
So the Lyrid meteor shower begins on 14 April. The meteors from the shower are debris left from Comet Thatcher, and they originate from the constellation of Lyra, which can be seen rising in the northeast after 10:00PM. It’s not a particularly prolific meteor shower.
There’s probably going to be around 18 meteors per hour at its peak and the Moon will be in its first quarter phase. Your best chance of seeing any meteors before full Moon on 23rd is to get to a dark sky site and unfortunately just looking to the future you know the Lyrids are going to peak on the night of 22-23 April which unfortunately coincides with the full Moon.
So that would be an example of when the full Moon is a pest.
Ezzy: Yeah, there are times when you’re wanting to see something and the moon’s just like, nah. Which is a bit annoying.
Katrin: Yeah, I mean, it’s so bright as well. It’s crazy.
Ezzy: It is. It’s that thing that you forget how bright it is until, you know, you’re confronted by it.
Katrin: Yeah, yeah. And it does get in the way. Definitely.
Ezzy: Yeah. Unfortunately this year is not a great one for meteor showers. Most of the major ones do come up against the Moon. We had a very good year last year. I’m not sure what it’s like next year? But there will be some years when it’s good and some years when it’s bad.
Katrin: Yes, and unfortunately it’s this year and the sky will probably be so clear as well. There’ll be a cloud in the sky and, it’ll just be typical.
Ezzy: So having said that, you know, we’re talking about the beginning of the meteor shower. It doesn’t peak for another couple of weeks.
Katrin: That’s right.
Ezzy: You can see potentially meteors, throughout the entire period. There’s, in fact, it’s actually quite helpful for people who track and monitor and record meteors. If you do it away from the peak as well, that’s very, very useful to people who do the research with that data. If you want more information about how you can track meteors, then I’ll put a note down to it in the show notes below, or you can find it on our website, www.skyatnightmagazine.com.
Katrin: Okay, so the Moon. So we know there’s a new Moon at the start of the week because we’ve had the total solar eclipse. So it is a quiet week ahead, Moon wise, but it starts to wax again throughout the week. And on 12th, when it’s 21 percent illuminated, grab a pair of binoculars or your telescope and try and locate Vallis Rheita near the Moon’s southeastern limb.
So this feature is a long lunar valley. It stretches for over 200km and it was formed when ejecta from the Mare Nectaris impact created over a dozen craters. It looks like, someone’s just kind of taken a long gouge out of the Moon and you can see the 71km Rheita crater near the top of the gouge.
It has a peak at center. Yeah. And I think it’s a really well defined crater, isn’t it, Rheita. Because it’s something that you can almost kind of recognize straight away, I think.
Ezzy: I find with those, valleys. Particularly in pictures. Those sorts of like long valleys mess with my eyes.
I find it so hard to, to convince my brain that it’s going sort of into the Moon, not sticking out of it. But they are very interesting to see nonetheless.
Katrin: They’re fantastic. Yeah. So, you know, it is well worth looking out for. And yeah, it’s, it’d be a good opportunity to do some Moon observing.
Ezzy: Well, thank you very much for taking us through what is promising to be a very busy week. But thank you for that, Katrin.
And if you at home would like to make sure you keep up to date with all of the best goings on in the night sky ,to make sure you don’t miss any upcoming sites, please do subscribe to the Star Diary podcast if you haven’t already.
But to summarise that week again, we start the week on 8 April when a total eclipse of the Sun will be visible across a large portion of the US.
A small partial will be visible in the UK, if you want to see that.
It will first make landfall at 18:02 UT in Mexico, going right the way across Mexico, the United States and Canada.
The Path of Totality will eventually leave land just off of Newfoundland at 19:46 UT as well. If you can get to the path of totality, it’s well worth a look, but there’ll be lots of people talking about it and pictures online if you can’t.
Looking towards the planets, on 10 April in the morning sky we have Mars and Saturn together.
Then in the evening the Moon is going to be aligned with Jupiter and Uranus.
On 11th Mars and Saturn will again be close in the morning sky and on 12th Pons-Brooks is going to pass below Jupiter. It’ll also be lined up with Uranus and the Pleiades as well, so a great photo opportunity there.
Jupiter is on its way out of the night sky, so do make sure that you take the chance to see the moons of Jupiter whilst you still can as well.
Whilst you’re in that region of the sky, you might also want to take advantage of the new Moon and look to see if you can find the galaxy of Andromeda as well.
On 14 April, we have the beginning of the Lyrids meteor shower that will be going on right through the month, peaking on 23rd.
And looking towards the moon on 12th, you can locate Vallis Rheita on the Moon’s southern rim as well.
So thank you very much, Katrin for joining us, and thank you much at home for taking the time to listen to us and we’ll hopefully see you back here again next week. Goodbye.
If you want to find out even more spectacular sights that will be gracing the night sky this month, be sure to pick up a copy of BBC Sky at Night magazine, where we have a 16 page pull out sky guide with a full overview of everything worth looking up for throughout the whole month.
Whether you like to look at the Moon, the planets, or the deep sky, whether you use binoculars, telescopes, or neither our sky guide has got you covered, with detailed star charts to help you track your way across the night sky. From all of us here at BBC Sky at Night Magazine, goodbye.
Chris: Thank you for listening to this episode of the Star Diary podcast from the makers of BBC Sky at Night Magazine, which was edited by Lewis Dobbs. For more of our podcasts, visit our website at skyatnightmagazine.com/podcasts, or head to Spotify, iTunes, or your favourite podcast player.