There's much more to look at than just the Messiers, so consult your star charts, computer programs, magazines, and observer's handbooks for other suggestions. April will be the last full month for viewing Jupiter and Saturn after sunset, though they will both be lower in the western sky than they should be for steady telescopic observation. Mercury will be low and barely visible in the dawn sky in the opening days of April. One thing we have to say about our neck of the galaxy - the scenery is breathtaking. Check out Io, Jupiter's moon, as seen from the Galileo spacecraft, or as seen from its neighbor, Europa.
Resistance is futile.
But after your first few looks, you won't be resisting anyway. You'll be anticipating. Kill that clock in your taskbar and free up a few bytes of RAM - you won't be paying attention to it anyway. For those of you who are able to visit Lowell Observatory during March or April you are in for a treat. We will provide solar observing to the public from 1 to 5 p.m. at Circle Park in Kernville.