Look Up! The Best Astronomical Events Happening in April 2025

Picture this: you’re chilling in your backyard, cold brew in hand, when BAM! A fireball streaks across the sky. No, it’s not your neighbor’s BBQ gone wrong – it’s the Lyrids! These meteors are like nature’s fireworks, only cooler. Then, there’s Mercury and planetary alignment this month. It’s a celestial traffic jam, and you’ve got front row seats!

So, get ready for a month that’ll make your Instagram followers green with envy. April 2025 is the month when the universe decides to show off and you need to see that.

5 April: Conjunction of Moon and Mars

At the start of April, the Moon and Mars will meet in a stunning conjunction, appearing side by side in the evening sky. Though separated by millions of miles, they’ll create a striking visual pairing. The Moon, illuminated at just 10%, will appear as a delicate crescent, while Mars will shine nearby with its characteristic reddish hue at a magnitude of 0.5.

Stargazer’s Glossary: Conjunction

In astronomy, a conjunction occurs when two celestial objects appear close together in the sky from our perspective on Earth. On 5 April, the Moon and Mars will share the same ecliptic longitude, creating an apparent close approach. While they’ll seem near to each other in the night sky, they are separated by vast distances in space – Mars will be about 110 million miles behind the Moon. This phenomenon is purely a matter of perspective, but it makes for a striking visual display.

How & When to Watch?

• Best time: optimal viewing around 9:00 PM local time when the pair is high in the southwestern sky.
• Naked-eye visibility: easily visible to the unaided eye. 
• Telescope tip: Use a low-power eyepiece to capture both objects in the same field.
• Astrophotography tip: For a stunning wide-field shot, use a DSLR camera with a 50-200mm lens. Set up on a tripod and experiment with exposures between 2-10 seconds at ISO 800-1600. 

10 April: Mercury near Saturn

Get ready for a celestial meet-and-greet on 10 April, 2025, as Mercury and Saturn cozy up in the twilight sky. This cosmic rendezvous brings together the swift messenger of the gods and the majestic ringed giant, offering stargazers a rare treat just after sunset.

How & When To Watch?

• Best time: Step outside about 30 minutes after sunset. The planetary pair will be visible for a brief window, so aim to catch them between 8:00 PM and 8:30 PM local time when they’re still above the western horizon.
• Naked-eye visibility: Both planets should be visible to the naked eye, but you’ll need to be quick and have a clear view of the western sky. Look for two bright “stars” close together, with Mercury appearing slightly brighter than Saturn.
• Telescope tip: A small telescope or even binoculars will enhance your view significantly. Use low magnification to keep both planets in the same field of view. While you won’t see Saturn’s rings in detail, you might just catch a glimpse of its oval shape.

Fun Fact

Even though they appear close, Mercury orbits the Sun in just 88 days, while Saturn takes a leisurely 29.5 years to complete one trip!

13 April: Full Moon

This lunar extravaganza, known as the Pink Moon, will illuminate the heavens and offer stargazers a chance to marvel at Earth’s faithful companion in all its glory.

Stargazer’s Glossary: Full Moon

A Full Moon occurs when Earth is positioned between the Sun and the Moon, with the lunar hemisphere facing our planet fully illuminated by sunlight. This celestial alignment creates the illusion of a perfectly round, glowing disk in the night sky. While the Full Moon technically lasts for just an instant, to our eyes, it appears full for about a day before and after its peak illumination.

How & When To Watch?

• Best time: around 8:22 p.m. EDT (00:22 GMT on 14 April) when the Moon reaches its fullest phase.
• Naked-eye visibility: easily visible.
• Astrophotography tip: Use a DSLR camera with a long lens (200mm or more) to capture the Moon’s details. Set your ISO to 100-200 and use a fast shutter speed (1/125 to 1/250) to avoid overexposure.

Fun Fact

This Full Moon is special for more than its beauty – it’s the one that determines the date of Easter in 2025. Known as the Paschal Full Moon, it sets the stage for one of Christianity’s most important holidays. Despite its name, the Pink Moon doesn’t actually appear pink. The moniker comes from the wild ground phlox, one of the earliest spring flowers that often bloom around this time.

And here’s a cosmic tidbit: this particular Full Moon is also a Micromoon, occurring when the Moon is near its farthest point from Earth in its orbit, making it appear slightly smaller than usual – though you’d need a keen eye to notice the difference.

15 April – 27 May: ETA Aquarid Meteor Shower

meteor shower offers a spectacular celestial display each year, originating from the debris left by Halley’s Comet. The Eta Aquariids are known for producing “Earthgrazers,” meteors that skim the Earth’s atmosphere at a shallow angle, creating long, colorful tails. Here’s what you need to know to experience this astronomical event.

How & When To Watch?

• Best Time: Active between 15 April and 27 May 2025, the Eta Aquarids peak on the night of 5-6 May. But you can still catch some meteors starting mid-April, with the best viewing time before dawn. ​
• Naked-Eye Visibility: Visible from both hemispheres with naked eye, the shower favors the Southern Hemisphere, where up to 50 meteors per hour can be observed. In northern latitudes, expect 10 to 30 meteors per hour during peak times.
• Telescope Tip: While binoculars can enhance the experience, a telescope is unnecessary. Meteors streak across the sky rapidly, and a wide field of view is optimal for viewing.​
• Astrophotography Tips: To capture the meteors, use a camera with manual settings, set a wide aperture (f/2.8 or lower), a high ISO (1600 or higher), and a shutter speed of 15-30 seconds. A tripod is essential for stability.​

Fun Fact

The Eta Aquarid meteor shower is associated with Halley’s Comet, one of the most famous comets visible from Earth. The debris left behind by Halley’s Comet creates these brilliant meteors, meaning each shooting star you see is a fragment of this ancient cosmic traveler!

17 April: 4 Planets in the Planetary Alignment

This planetary alignment brings together Venus, Saturn, Mercury, and Neptune in a rare celestial gathering that’s sure to delight stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts alike.

Stargazer’s Glossary: Planetary Alignment

A planetary alignment occurs when several planets gather closely on one side of the Sun at the same time. It’s like a cosmic family reunion, where our solar system’s worlds seem to huddle together from our Earthly vantage point. While the planets aren’t actually close to each other in space, their apparent proximity in our sky creates a stunning visual spectacle.

How & When To Watch?

• Best time: an hour before sunrise.
• Naked-eye visibility: Three of the four planets – Venus, Saturn, and Mercury – will be visible to the naked eye. Venus will shine the brightest, followed by Saturn with its golden hue, and then Mercury. Neptune, however, will require some optical aid to spot.
• Telescope tip: While you can enjoy most of this alignment without equipment, a small telescope or binoculars will enhance your view. Use low magnification to keep all the planets in your field of view. With a telescope, you might even catch a glimpse of Saturn’s rings!
• Astrophotography tips: To capture this cosmic lineup, use a DSLR camera with a wide-angle lens (14-24mm) to frame the entire scene.

Fun Fact

This alignment is particularly special because it includes Neptune, one of the most elusive planets to spot from Earth. While Venus completes its orbit around the Sun in just 225 Earth days, Neptune takes a whopping 165 Earth years for a single orbit! 

22-23 April – Lyrids Meteor Shower

The Lyrid meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through the dusty trail left behind by Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher. As these tiny particles enter our atmosphere at high speeds, they burn up, creating bright streaks of light we call meteors or “shooting stars.” The Lyrids get their name from the constellation Lyra, from which the meteors appear to radiate.

How & When To Watch?

• Best time: the peak is predicted to occur at 16:00 UTC on 22 April, 2025. For the best viewing experience, head out late on 21 April before the waning crescent moon rises, or in the early hours of 22 April before dawn.
• Naked-eye visibility: The Lyrids are visible to the naked eye. Find a dark location away from city lights, lie back, and let your eyes adjust to the darkness. You might see 10 to 15 meteors per hour under ideal conditions.
• Telescope tip: Ironically, telescopes aren’t ideal for meteor watching. The Lyrids are best observed with the naked eye, as telescopes limit your field of view. Instead, bring binoculars to explore the surrounding star fields during lulls in meteor activity.
• Astrophotography tips: To capture the Lyrids, use a wide-angle lens on a DSLR camera mounted on a tripod.

Fun Fact

The Lyrids are one of the oldest known meteor showers, with observations dating back to 687 BCE in ancient China. While typically producing a moderate display, the Lyrids are known for occasional outbursts that can bring rates up to 100 meteors per hour.

23-24 April – Earthshine

Earthshine, also known as “the old Moon in the new Moon’s arms” or “ashen glow,” occurs when sunlight reflects off Earth’s surface and clouds, then bounces onto the unlit portion of the Moon. This twice-reflected light creates a dim, otherworldly illumination of the Moon’s dark side.

How & When To Watch?

• Best time: shortly after sunset. The Moon will be a waxing crescent, providing ideal conditions for observing this phenomenon.
• Naked-eye visibility: Earthshine is visible to the naked eye.
• Telescope tip: While not necessary, binoculars or a small telescope can enhance your view.
• Astrophotography tips: To capture Earthshine, use a DSLR camera on a tripod with a long lens (200mm or more).

Fun Fact

Earthshine’s intensity varies throughout the year, with spring typically offering the best views. From the Moon’s perspective during Earthshine, an observer would see an almost fully illuminated Earth, appearing about 100 times brighter than a full Moon seen from Earth.

27 April – New Moon

At the end of April, the Moon enters its New Moon phase, marking the beginning of a new lunar cycle. It occurs when the Sun and Moon share the same ecliptic longitude, meaning they are perfectly aligned from Earth’s perspective. During this phase, the side of the Moon facing Earth is entirely in shadow, making it invisible against the backdrop of the sky. 

How & When To Watch?

• Best time: The New Moon itself cannot be seen, but its effects are best appreciated on 27 April during nighttime hours when the sky is darkest.
• Naked-eye visibility: While you won’t see the New Moon directly, its absence creates perfect conditions for spotting faint stars, galaxies that are usually washed out by moonlight, and astrophotography.
• Telescope tip: Use this moonless night to explore deep-sky objects such as star clusters, nebulae, and distant galaxies.
• Astrophotography tips: The New Moon provides an excellent opportunity for wide-field astrophotography. Use a DSLR camera with a wide-angle lens to capture constellations or even try your hand at photographing the Milky Way.