NASA’s Skywatching Events for April 2023: Get ready to see Mercury, Moon, Planets & Meteor Showers!

NASA’s Skywatching Events for April 2023: Recently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has shared the astronomical events that are going to happen this month. Sky watchers are going to experience some great celestial events involving mercury, the moon, planets, and meteors that would be visible in the night sky including. So, let’s look in detail at the April 2023 skywatching highlights shared by NASA.

🔭 What's up in the night sky this April?

The Moon will pair up beautifully with several planets, while viewing conditions may be ideal for the Lyrid meteor shower. More skywatching tips: pic.twitter.com/6TdJbIMJUx

— NASA (@NASA) March 31, 2023

NASA’s April 2023 Skywatching Highlights: Mercury, Moon, Planets, and Meteors!

As per the chronology shared by NASA, you can spot the Mercury after sunset early this month. After then you can also see the moon's visits with the planets. on 23^rd April 2023, you can even catch a shooting star when the Lyrid meteors peak:

Mercury Rising on 11^th April 2023

Image Source: NASA

On 11^th April, Mercury will reach its highest. The planet will become most visible in the evening sky for the year. Mercury is the smallest and the fastest-moving planet in our solar system. It has the fastest orbital motion in the solar system. Apparitions or Mercury's fleeting appearances will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere during the night between the 3^rd to 11^th April.

Venus next to the Pleiades Star Cluster - A Time Machine Event on 11^th April 2023

Image Source: NASA

On 11^th April, another major celestial event is going to happen! Avid skywatchers can see Venus right next to the Pleiades star cluster through binoculars. NASA is claiming this pairing is going to be like a time machine event by hinting “the farther out into space you look, the farther back in time you're seeing.” This time travel phenomenon will be occurred as on that night you will be seeing the light that left Venus about 9 minutes earlier, whereas the light of the Pleiades left those stars around 400 years ago.

Phases of Moon in April 2023

Image Source: NASA

The above image shared by NASA explains the four main phases of the moon. The full moon will be visible on the 6^th April. The third quarter of the moon will be visible on the 13^th April. The new moon will be visible on the 20^th April and the first quarter on the 27^th April.

Moon and Planet Pairings in April 2023 - 15^th Saturn, 23^rd Venus, 25^th Mars

Image Source: NASA

In the second half of April 2023, there will be close encounters of the moon with three bright planets of our solar system. On the 15^th and 16^th April, you can see the crescent moon rising with Saturn. On the eve of 23^rd April, you can view the slim crescent moon hanging just five degrees above Venus in the west after sunset. On 25^th April. the moon finds its way over to Mars and will be visible in the night high up in the west.

Lyrid Meteor Shower on 23^rd April 2023

Image Source: NASA

April 2023 is going to bring back the Lyrid meteor shower. Lyrid is a medium-strength shower and under ideal conditions, it can produce up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. Lyrid Meteor Shower is named after the constellation Lyra which was first seen in China around 2,700 years back. On 23^rd April, Lyrids will peak in the pre-dawn hours. So, you may be able to see a few shooting stars in the morning before and after the peak as well.

So, this month is going to be bliss for the skywatchers as they can catch a few shooting stars one April morning, or can also see the moon and planets pairing in the night sky.