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Ephemeris: 04/15/2025 – Hydra the water snake spans the spring skies
This is Ephemeris for Tuesday, April 15th. Today the Sun will be up for 13 hours and 30 minutes, setting at 8:28, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:56. The Moon, 3 days past full, will rise at 11:43 this evening.
Stretching from midway up the sky in the south-southwest to low in the southeast at 10 p.m. can be found the constellation of Hydra the water snake, the longest constellation of all. Unlike the monster of the same name that Hercules slew, this Hydra has but one head, which is its most distinctive part. The head of Hydra is located between the bright stars Procyon in the southwest, which is above the brighter star Sirius low in the sky, and Regulus in Leo the lion, higher in the south. Hydra’s head is a small but distinctive group of 6 stars that make a drooping loop to the right. The rest of Hydra wends its way in a crooked line from star to star, but within a reasonably straight path down to the southeastern horizon.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT – 4 hours). Times will be different for other locations.
Addendum
05/11/2023 – Ephemeris – Finding Hydra the water snake
This is Ephemeris for Thursday, May 11th. Today the Sun will be up for 14 hours and 40 minutes, setting at 8:59, and it will rise tomorrow at 6:18. The Moon, 1 day before last quarter, will rise at 3:17 tomorrow morning.
Low in the south and southwestern sky at 10 p.m. and later can be found the constellation of Hydra the water snake, the longest constellation of all. Unlike the monster of the same name, this Hydra has but one head, which is its most distinctive part. At 11 p.m. the head of Hydra is located between the bright stars Procyon in the west and Regulus in Leo the lion in the southwest. Hydra’s head is a small but distinctive group of 6 stars that make a drooping loop to the right. The rest of Hydra wends its way above the southern horizon below the bright blue star Spica in Virgo. Some delineations of Hydra have the tail tickling the constellation Libra, the balance which has just risen in the southeast.
The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan (EDT, UT –4 hours). They may be different for your location.
Addendum
Finding Hydra, the water snake animation showing nearby constellations and stars mentioned in the program. Click or tap on the image to enlarge it. Created using Stellarium, and GIMP.
Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog 