April 2026 Astronomy Highlights

There’s always good and bad news attached to April’s astronomy highlights, no matter what year it is. The good news is, there’s a mixture of meteor showers and planets to view throughout the whole month. The bad news, it’s the end of the Northern Lights season until August, and it’s all because we head into the summertime in the northern hemisphere, and it will be too light in the evenings to see any auroral activity.

Let’s focus on the positives! Here are the astronomy highlights for April 2026…

Full Pink Moon – April 2nd

April’s Full Moon, known as the Pink Moon, reaches peak illumination or Full Moon on April 2nd. The name comes from early spring wildflowers, which are appearing now rather than the Moon’s colour, as it’s often thought. This Full Moon will rise around sunset and remain visible throughout the night, providing bright conditions for lunar observation. As the Moon rises, it will appear to have a red/orange hue, but this is due to its reflected light being scattered by the Earth’s atmosphere, and it’s only the light on the red/orange/yellow side of the spectrum that makes it through.

Devansh-Abrol

Mercury at Greatest Elongation – April 3rd

On April 3rd, Mercury reaches its greatest western elongation, which means it’s one of the best opportunities of the year to spot the planet. Greatest elongation means that it’s in a specific position in its orbit around the Sun from our perspective, which makes it easier to observe from the Earth. Look low in the eastern sky just before sunrise. Because Mercury stays close to the Sun, these elongation periods provide the best chance to observe it clearly.

NASA

Moon & the Pleiades Conjunction – April 19th

On April 19th, a thin crescent Moon will be extremely close to the Pleiades in the evening sky; it will even block out some of the stars on its outer edge for a short time. This is a special conjunction as these two objects are well-known and easily observable in our night sky. Look to the west from 9 pm, and you’ll be able to see these two great objects setting in the west together.

Stellarium

Lyrid Meteor Shower – Peak April 22nd – 23rd

The Lyrid meteor shower is one of the oldest recorded meteor showers, with observations dating back over 2,500 years. It peaks on the night of April 22nd – 23rd and typically produces around 15-20 meteors per hour under dark skies. The meteors are fast and can occasionally produce bright fireballs. Best viewing will be after midnight, looking toward the constellation Lyra, although meteors can appear anywhere in the sky. The meteor shower happens because the Earth is passing through a debris field left behind by Comet Thatcher.

Gavin Keng

Spring Constellations and Deep-Sky Objects – All Month

April evenings showcase classic spring constellations such as Leo, Virgo, and Boötes. These regions are rich in galaxies, making them excellent targets for telescopes. With the arrival of spring, darker skies earlier in the evening improve opportunities for deep-sky observation.

April 2026 delivers a balanced mix of meteor activity, planetary visibility, and seasonal sky changes. With clear skies and comfortable conditions, it’s an excellent month to get outside and explore the night sky. Happy stargazing.

Chuck Ayoub

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