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The Artemis 2 mission is a lunar orbit mission scheduled to launch in 2024. The crew will fly around the Moon and return to Earth, with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean anticipated in April 2025. This mission will provide incredible views of Earth and the Moon and will help scientists learn more about our solar system.
On Saturday and Sunday mornings in April, look for the thin, waning crescent moon in the southeastern sky before dawn. It will be positioned within the faint constellation Capricornus.
A monthly preview video from EarthSky highlights the constellations, planets, and events to watch for in April. This includes a meteor shower and a potentially bright comet. Understanding the moon's changing appearance, or phases, is key to following these events.
Two very bright planets will be visible in the evening sky this month. Venus will shine brilliantly low in the western sky just after sunset. Jupiter will be higher in the sky and brighter than any star.
Our sky charts are generally set for the mid-northern latitudes. For a precise view from your exact location, you can use the free online planetarium software, Stellarium.
In the Northern Hemisphere, look west after dusk for the zodiacal light. This is a faint, pyramid-shaped glow caused by sunlight reflecting off dust particles in the inner solar system. It is sometimes called "false dusk."
On the mornings of April 13 and 14, a very thin, old crescent moon will be visible low in the eastern sky just before sunrise. It will be a delicate sight in the brightening morning twilight.
Observers in the Southern Hemisphere have a special view on the morning of April 15. The thin crescent moon will appear near three planets: Mercury, Mars, and Saturn. Look for these planets forming a line low in the east before dawn, with the moon nearby.
For a few days in mid-April, several planets will be above the horizon during the daytime. While challenging to see without optical aid, Venus, Jupiter, and sometimes Mars can be spotted in a very clear, deep blue sky.
The new moon occurs on April 17. A new moon is when the moon is between Earth and the sun, so its sunlit side faces away from us, making it invisible in the night sky. Because the moon is also near its closest point to Earth (called perigee), this is technically a supermoon.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the main morning planets in April are Mars and Saturn. Look for them low in the southeastern sky before sunrise. Mercury may also make a brief, very low appearance near the horizon.
On the evenings of April 18 and 19, find the young crescent moon in the western twilight. It will be near the brilliant planet Venus. Also in this area are the bright red star Aldebaran and the sparkling Pleiades star cluster.
The moon reaches perigee, the closest point in its orbit to Earth, on April 19. When the moon is near perigee, it can appear slightly larger and brighter.
For viewers in the Southern Hemisphere, the morning of April 20 offers a beautiful sight. The planets Mercury, Mars, and Saturn will appear very close together low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
On the evening of April 20, the crescent moon will shine near Venus and the Pleiades star cluster. This grouping will create a beautiful scene in the western twilight.
On the evenings of April 21 and 22, look for the waxing crescent moon near the giant planet Jupiter. Jupiter will be a bright, steady point of light. The twin stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini will be nearby.
The annual Lyrid meteor shower reaches its peak on the night of April 22. This shower is known for producing fast and sometimes bright meteors. The best viewing will be after midnight local time, when the shower's radiant point is high in the sky. The moon will have set, providing darker skies.
The moon reaches its first quarter phase on April 24. At this phase, we see half of the moon's disk illuminated by the sun.
On the evenings of April 24 and 25, the waxing gibbous moon will be near the bright star Regulus. Regulus is the heart of the constellation Leo and is part of a star pattern called the Sickle.
As the moon nears its full phase, it will pass near Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, on the evenings of April 28, 29, and 30.
On any clear April evening, look for these stars and constellations. Leo the Lion will be high in the south. Boötes the Herdsman, with its bright orange star Arcturus, will be rising in the east. The Big Dipper will be high in the northeast. For the best views, allow your eyes to adjust to the dark and try to find a location away from city lights.
The evening sky is dominated by Venus and Jupiter. Venus is the brilliant "evening star" in the west. Jupiter is higher in the sky, shining steadily. You can use the moon on the dates mentioned above as a guide to locate them.
The morning sky before sunrise features Mars and Saturn, both visible low in the east. For a short time, especially for Southern Hemisphere viewers, Mercury may join them.
A sky dome map provides a circular, all-sky view for a specific time and location. These maps are very useful for planning a stargazing session.
A diagram of the solar system, with the sun at the center (heliocentric), shows the positions of the planets in their orbits. This view helps explain why we see certain planets in our morning or evening sky from our vantage point on Earth.