(Posted 16 April 2014) Even if you aren’t an early riser, you might want to consider dusting off your telescope, setting your alarm clock and getting up early tomorrow morning to watch Venus eclipse (or occult) a star tomorrow morning.
While you won’t need a telescope to locate Venus (it will be the dazzlingly bright star located above the Eastern horizon in the pre-dawn sky), you will need the high magnification provided by a telescope to view the brief eclipse (or occultation) of the 3.7 magnitude star Hydor. Hydor (a name which means water) also known by its catalog name Lamda Aquarii is located in the constellation Aquarius ‘The Water Bearer’.
I have never seen a planet eclipse a star so will be definitely up watching. I am expecting that the glare of Venus will make seeing the disappearance of Hydor behind it difficult to see. Seeing Hydor pop back into view from behind the unlit (night) side of Venus should be very exciting.
Below: Disappearance / reappearance times calculated using the Sky Safari Pro tablet app.
| City | Disappearance | Reappearance |
| Cairns (Qld) | 3:58 am AEST | 4:05 am AEST |
| Brisbane (Qld) | 3:59 am AEST | 4:05 am AEST |
| Gold Coast (Qld) | 3:59 am AEST | 4:05 am AEST |
| Sydney (NSW) | 3:59 am AEST | 4:04 am AEST |
| Canberra (ACT) | 3:59 am AEST | 4:04 am AEST |
| Melbourne (Vic) | 3:59 am AEST | 4:04 am AEST |
| Hobart (Tas) | 4:00 am AEST | 4:04 am AEST |
| Perth (WA) | Not visible | Not visible |
And for those interested in astronomy trivia, Venus last occulted a star in June 2013.
RT @Nightskyonline: Watch as Venus eclipses a star tomorrow morning. Visible across Eastern Australia. http://t.co/wMEZrjoZbC