Welcome to our monthly guide to the night sky! We are posting a monthly list of astronomical activities to keep an eye out for in the night sky. 

Thursday 6th April  – Full moon at 5.34 am.

Sunday 16th April – In the early morning the Moon and Saturn will be seen together. Saturn will lie directly above the present Moon.

Thursday 20th April – There will be a solar eclipse visible in Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Unfortunately nothing of this eclipse will be visible from Ireland.

Saturday 22nd April – Thin crescent Moon will be seen to the lower right of Venus.

Night of 22nd/23rd April – Peak of the Lyrid meteor shower. The meteors will appear to originate from the Lyra constellation (below). This meteor shower is a result of the Comet Thatcher burning up in our atmosphere.

Tuesday 25th April – Moon and Mars in close proximity in the west.

Written by the Public Engagement Officer at DIAS Dunsink Observatory, Sadhbh Leahy.