Those who like to keep up with celestial events are probably aware that April has been an exciting month so far. First off, the month began with a bang as a glimmering Venus could be seen in conjunction with the Pleiades star cluster. In fact, the bright planet had made a show of itself throughout the month and could be seen in both the northern and southern hemispheres. It’s expected to shine its brightest at the end of April and into early May 2020, so read on for all you need to know about seeing Venus shine brightly in the Nevada skies later this month.
After the sun and the moon, planet Venus is the brightest natural object in the night sky. This month has been a particularly bright time for Venus, and the planet is expected to appear its brightest at the end of April.
Whether you're a seasoned stargazer or a newbie who just enjoy observing the night sky, Venus always makes for a unique stargazing experience. It's easy to find and see even with only the naked eye, so there's really no reason NOT to set some time aside this month to see it.
Venus will reach its greatest illuminated extent on April 27 at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time. This means that the visible part of Venus will cover the greatest area of the sky at this time.
This will be an important time to catch a view of Venus shining the sky above. After all, it's during or around this time that the planet will achieve maximum illumination for the whole year. You won't see Venus brighter than this for the rest of 2020.
You don't need any fancy equipment to get a look at Venus, but a good telescope can definitely help. Point it at the planet and you'll get an awesome view of Venus' disk and the planet's changing phases.
Living in Nevada means we have access to some of the country's darkest skies, so Venus should look extra bright above our completely dark landscapes. Your own backyard is perfect for stargazing, but the Tonopah Stargazing Park was constructed specifically for celestial events like this one. Wherever you find yourself on the evening of April 27, just be sure to look up!
