Star Almanack
Alexander Ferrari Miller

ISO 2026-W17

Week begins: Monday, April 20, 2026

Notation:

Calendar

DateZodiac dayEvents
Mon, Apr 20, 2026♉ 1
♉ Sun enters Taurus — 01:39:07 UTC
Finest NGC 53 / NGC 3432 · Arp 206 — Telescope 12 — Northern Spring
Tue, Apr 21, 2026♉ 2
Wolf 359 (CN Leonis) — Telescope — Tropical Spring
Wed, Apr 22, 2026♉ 3
Alkes (α Crt) — Binoculars 4 — Tropical Spring
Thu, Apr 23, 2026♉ 4
Merak (β UMa) — Naked eye 2 — Northern Spring
Lalande 21185 (Gliese 411) — Binoculars — Northern Spring
Dubhe (α UMa) — Naked eye 2 — Northern Spring
Fri, Apr 24, 2026♉ 5
🌓 First Quarter — 02:31:46 UTC
Finest NGC 56 / NGC 3521 · MCG 0-28-30 — Telescope 10 — Tropical Spring
C91 / NGC 3532 — Telescope 3 — Southern Spring
Sat, Apr 25, 2026♉ 6
M108 — Telescope 10 — Northern Spring
β Crt — Binoculars 4 — Tropical Spring
Sun, Apr 26, 2026♉ 7
M97 — Telescope 10 — Northern Spring

Weekly Solar-System Ephemeris

Snapshot: Week begins April 20, 2026, 00:00 UTC.

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

Notation:
Body☉︎☽︎☿︎♀︎♂︎♃︎♄︎
Ecliptic♈︎ 29°56′
β +0°00′		♊︎ 4°47′
β +5°06′		♈︎ 7°11′
β −2°37′		♉︎ 24°55′
β +0°24′		♈︎ 7°54′
β −0°57′		♋︎ 17°31′
β +0°23′		♈︎ 7°52′
β −2°09′
ObservingNightNaked eye -7.3Naked eye -0.1Naked eye -3.9Naked eye 1.2Naked eye -2.1Naked eye 0.9
Rise05:0906:1504:3506:1304:2809:4204:34
Set18:5122:1716:4421:0416:5101:0716:48

Extended targets:

Body⚳︎♅︎♆︎♇︎
Ecliptic♉︎ 14°04′
β −4°09′		♉︎ 29°41′
β −0°10′		♈︎ 2°54′
β −1°19′		♒︎ 5°27′
β −4°00′
Observing☉︎Binoculars 5.8Telescope 7.8TelescopeTelescope 14.6
Rise06:0806:3004:1902:20
Set19:5221:2716:2411:08

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 2026-10-12 04:31:20 UTC

View:

ISO 2026-W17 runs from April 20 through April 26. Mars and Saturn are separated by about 0.0° in geocentric ecliptic longitude at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Mercury and Mars are separated by about 0.7° in geocentric ecliptic longitude at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot.

Naked eye: 🌓 First Quarter — 02:31:46 UTC. Moderate moonlight makes timing and local sky position important for faint targets. Use Merak, Dubhe as the week’s fixed-sky framework.

Planets: Moon: Naked eye; magnitude -7.3; direct motion; 9.2% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Jupiter in ecliptic longitude Apr 22 22:51 UTC. Mercury: Naked eye; magnitude -0.1; direct motion; 71.7% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Mars in ecliptic longitude Apr 20 21:44 UTC. Conjunction with Saturn in ecliptic longitude Apr 20 11:22 UTC. Venus: Naked eye; magnitude -3.9; direct motion; 90.4% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Uranus in ecliptic longitude Apr 24 01:58 UTC. Mars: Naked eye; magnitude 1.2; direct motion; 98.1% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Mercury in ecliptic longitude Apr 20 21:44 UTC. Ceres: In solar glare; magnitude 8.9; direct motion; 99.8% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Jupiter: Naked eye; magnitude -2.1; direct motion; 99.1% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Apr 22 22:51 UTC. Saturn: Naked eye; magnitude 0.9; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Mercury in ecliptic longitude Apr 20 11:22 UTC. Uranus: Binoculars; magnitude 5.8; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Venus in ecliptic longitude Apr 24 01:58 UTC. Neptune: Telescope; magnitude 7.8; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Pluto: Substantial telescope; magnitude 14.6; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot.

Binoculars: Trace the charted figure of Crt, then identify Alkes at its plotted position. Trace the charted figure of Crt, then identify β Crt at its plotted position.

Small telescope: Arp 206: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; MCG 0-28-30: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; NGC 3532: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; M108: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; Owl Nebula: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance

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 39.7° below the horizon. Rises 04:35; sets 16:44 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -0.1. The disk is 71.7% illuminated (gibbous). It is 22.9° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 1.550° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Diphda, 18.6° away. Mars is 1.8° away at the snapshot. Saturn is 0.8° away at the snapshot. Neptune is 4.5° away at the snapshot. Conjunction with Mars in ecliptic longitude Apr 20 21:44 UTC. Conjunction with Saturn in ecliptic longitude Apr 20 11:22 UTC. Mercury: 18.6° from Diphda 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 0.1° above the horizon. Rises 06:13; sets 21:04 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -3.9. The disk is 90.4% illuminated (gibbous). It is 25.0° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 1.219° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Aldebaran, 16.3° away. Uranus is 4.8° away at the snapshot. Conjunction with Uranus in ecliptic longitude Apr 24 01:58 UTC. Venus: 16.3° from Aldebaran 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 10.8° above the horizon. Rises 06:15; sets 22:17 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -7.3. The disk is 9.2% illuminated (waxing crescent). It is 35.2° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 14.908° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Aldebaran, 11.8° away. Conjunction with Jupiter in ecliptic longitude Apr 22 22:51 UTC. Moon: 11.8° from Aldebaran 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 38.0° below the horizon. Rises 04:28; sets 16:51 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 1.2. The disk is 98.1% illuminated (gibbous). It is 22.0° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 0.773° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Diphda, 20.4° away. Mercury is 1.8° away at the snapshot. Saturn is 1.2° away at the snapshot. Conjunction with Mercury in ecliptic longitude Apr 20 21:44 UTC. Mars: 20.4° from Diphda 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 41.1° above the horizon. Rises 09:42; sets 01:07 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -2.1. The disk is 99.1% illuminated (nearly full). It is 77.6° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.115° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Pollux, 8.7° away. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Apr 22 22:51 UTC. Jupiter: 8.7° from Pollux 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 38.8° below the horizon. Rises 04:34; sets 16:48 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 0.9. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 22.2° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 0.119° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Diphda, 19.2° away. Mercury is 0.8° away at the snapshot. Mars is 1.2° away at the snapshot. Conjunction with Mercury in ecliptic longitude Apr 20 11:22 UTC. Saturn: 19.2° from Diphda 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 3.7° above the horizon. Rises 06:30; sets 21:27 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 5.8. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 29.7° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.052° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Aldebaran, 11.7° away. Venus is 4.8° away at the snapshot. Conjunction with Venus in ecliptic longitude Apr 24 01:58 UTC. Uranus: 11.7° from Aldebaran in the Pathfinder.

Neptune

Neptune: telescope at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 41.7° below the horizon. Rises 04:19; sets 16:24 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 7.8. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 27.1° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 0.035° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Fumalsamakah, 17.3° away. Mercury is 4.5° away at the snapshot. Neptune: 17.3° from Fumalsamakah in the Pathfinder.

Ceres

Ceres: in solar glare at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Rises 06:08; sets 19:52 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 8.9. The disk is 99.8% illuminated (nearly full). It is 14.7° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.404° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Menkar, 8.5° away. Ceres: 8.5° from Menkar 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 54.6° below the horizon. Rises 02:20; sets 11:08 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 14.6. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 84.5° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 0.008° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Dabih, 8.7° away. Pluto: 8.7° from Dabih in the Pathfinder.