What's Up: April 2026 Skywatching Tips From NASA

Why It Matters

By providing precise viewing windows, NASA empowers hobbyists and educators to engage directly with celestial phenomena, fostering broader public enthusiasm for space science.

Key Takeaways

• Mercury reaches greatest elongation, visible before sunrise on April 3
• Lyrid meteor shower peaks April 21‑22, visible east near Vega
• Comet C/2025 R3 approaches Earth April 27, magnitude eight
• Spot comet in Pegasus and Pisces constellations before dawn
• Northern Hemisphere sees comet mid‑April to month’s end

Summary

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory released a concise sky‑watching briefing for April 2026, highlighting three celestial events that will be visible to the naked eye or modest equipment: Mercury’s greatest elongation, the Lyrid meteor shower, and Comet C/2025 R3.

On April 3, Mercury will sit at its furthest angular distance from the Sun, rising just above the eastern horizon before sunrise and appearing low near Mars. The Lyrids will peak between the nights of April 21 and 22, radiating from the direction of Vega in the Lyra constellation, with optimal viewing after 10 p.m. local time. Meanwhile, Comet C/2025 R3 will make its closest approach on April 27, coming within 44 million miles and reaching an estimated magnitude of eight, requiring binoculars or a small telescope.

Host Chelsea Gohd advises observers to look eastward before dawn for Mercury, to scan the sky near Vega for the meteors, and to track the comet in Pegasus and above Pisces during predawn hours in the Northern Hemisphere—or in early May evenings for Southern observers. The briefing also lists the lunar phases for the month and directs viewers to NASA’s science portal for mission updates.

These timings give amateur astronomers a clear roadmap to capture rare sights, potentially spurring public interest in astronomy and supporting NASA’s outreach goals by turning a routine month into a series of observable milestones.

Original Description

Mercury shines at its brightest for the year, the Lyrid meteor shower peaks, and a bright new comet makes an appearance in April’s night sky.

Catch Mercury low in the eastern sky before sunrise on April 3 at its greatest elongation. Then look up late April 21 into the 22nd for the Lyrids, with “shooting stars” radiating near the bright star Vega.

Also this month, Comet C/2025 R3 (Pan-STARRS) may be visible with binoculars or a telescope, especially around April 17, before making its closest approach to Earth on April 27.

0:00 Intro

0:12 Mercury greatest elongation

1:22 Comet c/2025 R3

1:57 Lyrid meteor shower

2:39 April Moon phases

Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What's Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at https://science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech