Welcome to the Cosmic Calendar!
This is a space for astronomy that looks into the night sky as a living language of rhythms and presences. "How big, how far, how fast, how much"… is just the beginning. We give astronomical facts meaning so we can better understand life above and between us.
— Sabrina Dalla Valle, Senior Cosmic Analyst
"Key Skywatching Highlights for April 2026"
These indications are for North America EST. Remember to always check your actual location for timing and visibility.
April 1: Artemis 2 moon launch
Ok, well if you live on the Tampa Bay or Central Florida or near to Cape Canaveral, you'll be able to see Artemis 2
make its historic launch at 6:24 p.m. EDT. And if you're a launch chaser, you know that launch times are susceptible
to change according to weather and other astronomical conditions. This one has a six-day launch window extending
through April 6, 2026.
What's so special? This mission intends to orbit the Moon and return to Earth, testing the Orion spacecraft with a crew of four for future landings. The crew will travel farther from Earth than any previous human spaceflight. Unlike Apollo 8, which orbited the Moon, Artemis II will perform a "free return" trajectory, flying around the far side and allowing the Moon's gravity to sling them back to Earth (NASA website).
Pink Moon by Tran
April 2: Full Moon, known as the Pink Moon
April 3: Mercury's greatest elongation
Our elusive friend will be at its most visible all year because it will be at its greatest elongation-or its
furthest distance from the Sun, as we see it from Earth. To find Mercury, look east before the Sun begins to rise.
April 6: Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS)
OK, maybe you will be able to see this, and maybe not. This comet will pass incredibly close to the Sun where it has
the potential to flare into one of the year’s brightest comets, possibly visible to the naked eye—maybe even in daylight—or
it could fall apart in the Sun’s intense heat.
April 17: New Moon
Look for ‘Earthshine’, a phenomenon where the light of the Earth reflects back off the part
of the Moon that is out of the Sun’s radiance. This is what was once referred to as when the old Moon is in the new
Moon's arms. Earthshine is best seen a few days before and after the New Moon, right after sunset and before sunrise.
Scientists studying global warming found that Earthshine may be slightly more intense in April and May.
April 18: Planetary Alignment
This is the peak day to see four planets—Mercury, Mars, Saturn, and Neptune—gather tightly in the morning sky
30 min before sunrise. You probably won't see Neptune (too far away and washed out by the light) but at least you
know its there.
April 18/19: The Waxing Crescent Moon meets Venus
Watch just after sunset under Taurus descending on the Western horizon.
April 21-22: The Lyrid meteor shower peak
One of the oldest recorded meteor showers, this one comes from debris left behind by Comet Thatcher discovered
by A. E. Thatcher on April 5, 1861. It orbits the Sun approximately every 415–422 years and is the parent body of
the annual April Lyrids meteor shower.
When this debris hits and then burns up in our atmosphere, we see the "shooting stars" of a meteor shower streaking
across the sky. The meteor shower takes place near the star Vega found in the constellation Lyra, the Harp. Best
viewing is pre-dawn on April 22-and while you’re at it, stay for the sunrise.
April 21-22: Significant Occult Day
This is a really significant occult day when the Sun is in Aries and the Moon in Taurus.
Alchemists used this special day out of the year to ignite the inner Philosopher Stone (maybe there will be an article
on this-stay tuned to your Cosmic Calendar!)
April 22: The First Quarter Moon meets up with Jupiter
(remember last month around this lunar time?)
www.timeanddate.com/news/astronomy
www.in-the-sky.org
www.earthsky.org
www.skyatnightmagazine.com/
www.science.nasa.gov