| |    | | (Starry Night.) | | | Monday, March 30 — Hunt Arcturus through the spring sky | Tonight is a perfect time to find the red giant Arcturus rising in the eastern sky in the hours following sunset. First, locate the familiar stars of the famous Big Dipper asterism twinkling above the northeastern horizon. Draw an imaginary line from the innermost of the three stars representing its handle (Alioth) to the end star, lowest to the horizon (Alkaid) and continue that arcing line out into open space. The next bright star you find will be Arcturus, the 4th-brightest star in the night sky, which is also known as "Guardian of the Bear" due to its proximity to the constellation Ursa Major. | | |  | | (Photo by Davide Pischettola/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | | | Wednesday, April 1 — The Pink Moon rises | This month's full moon phase occurs at 10:12 p.m. EDT on April 1 (0212 GMT on April 2), when the moon will appear opposite the sun in Earth's sky, fully lit by its light as it shines close to the stars of the constellation Virgo. The April full moon is known as the "Pink Moon", in reference to the ground-covering phlox that blooms in early spring in parts of the U.S. | | |  | | (Starry Night) | | | Thursday, April 2 — The moon meets Spica at sunset | The 99%-lit waning moon will appear less than 2 degrees below the blue-white Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, on the night of April 2. They'll be separated by about the width of your thumb held at arm's length against the night sky — close enough to fit in the field of view of a pair of 10X50 binoculars — but will become more distant as the night wears on. | | |  | | (Starry Night.) | | | Friday, April 3 — Scout out Corona Borealis where the "Blaze Star" will erupt | Look to the eastern horizon after sunset to find the bowl-like formation of stars representing the constellation Corona Borealis (Latin for the "Northern Crown") twinkling in the early spring sky. The faint constellation will rise higher as dusk gives way to night and plays host to the ordinarily dim Blaze Star T. Coronae Borealis (TCrB), which has been known to erupt in a powerful nuclear explosion roughly once every 80 years or so, briefly becoming as bright as the North Star Polaris to the naked eye. The star could erupt any time now, so get prepared by staking out its location in the night sky! | | |  | | (Starry Night) | | | Sunday, April 5 — The "Northern Cross" shines on Easter Sunday | The rising of the Paschal Moon marks the first full moon after the spring equinox and determines the date of Easter for Christians worldwide. Early on Easter Sunday, Christians can find another mark of their faith shining in the night sky. Look to the eastern horizon in the hours preceding dawn to find the constellation Cygnus, the swan glimmering in the spring sky. The distribution of its stars have led to it being known as the Northern Cross. | | | | | | Earth's satellite reaches its full moon phase at 10:12 p.m. EDT on April 1 (0212 GMT on April 2), when it will appear fully-lit by the sun's rays. The moon will turn full on the same day that NASA's Artemis 2 mission is scheduled to launch four astronauts on a mission to the far side of Earth's natural satellite for the first time since the Apollo program of the 1960s and 70s.
The April full moon is often called the "Pink Moon" to reflect the blooming of the phlox ground-covering plant that flowers in early spring in North America. Read our April full moon page to discover everything you need to know about the lunar milestone. | | | | | An X1.4 solar flare triggered radio blackouts and launched a fast CME as NASA prepares for its Artemis 2 moon mission. | | | With bright meteors sighted over Ohio, Texas, and Europe, you might wonder what's going on. Is meteor activity really increasing, or is there just a surge in reporting? | | | | The latest aurora forecast for tonight helps you make sure you're in the right place at the right time to see the northern lights. | | |
Astrophotographer Greg Meyer captured a spectacular view of the Antennae galaxies shining 62 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Corvus. The galaxies NGC 4038 and NGC 4039 are locked in a tumultuous gravitational struggle that will eventually see them merge into a single elliptical monster of a cosmic structure. | | | | Astronomy Kit and Accessories | | | Ideal for adults and children alike, this super-compact tabletop Celestron Firstscope is perfect for fast, fuss-free skywatching. I'd never part with mine and it's even cheaper thanks to Amazon's Big Spring Sale. | | | Do you want to get a better look at the universe around you? I've spotted these early deals on our best binoculars, cameras and telescopes, so you don't have to blow your budget for mind-blowing views. | | | | Stay up-to-date on all things space science, news, and entertainment by subscribing to our newsletters. | |  | |  | Follow Night Sky This Week |  |  |  |  | | | | When you purchase through links in our content, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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