Look up in April: Two comets may shine with the Lyrid meteor shower

Two comets—C/2026 A1 (MAPS) and C/2025 R3 (PANSTARRS)—are reported in April 2026 sky charts, and the Lyrid meteor shower is expected to peak the night of April 22–23.

April brings several notable sky events, including two comets appearing in sky charts and the annual Lyrid meteor shower reaching its peak. The Full Moon on April 1 (the Pink Moon) begins the month, and bright planets such as Jupiter and Venus will be easily found in the evening sky. Early in the month Mercury reaches greatest western elongation on April 3, and several planets line up low on the eastern predawn horizon later in April. Observers and sky charts are watching the progress of two comets that could be visible at different times during the month. Key events this month: - April 1: The Full Moon (Pink Moon) reaches about 98% illumination on the first night of April. - April 22–23: The Lyrid meteor shower, originating from Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher), is forecast to peak around this night with typical rates near 20–25 meteors per hour and occasional bright fireballs; the Moon phase this year is a waxing crescent that sets before about 2 a.m. local time. - April 19: Earth begins passing through the debris stream that produces the eta Aquariid meteors (from Halley’s Comet); activity rises toward early May but will be affected by moonlight around the peak. - April 4–5: Sungrazer comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) makes an extremely close pass to the Sun on April 4; reports note it could vaporize in the solar corona or, if it survives, become considerably brighter after perihelion. - April 17: Comet C/2025 R3 (PANSTARRS) makes its closest approach to Earth around this date; conservative brightness estimates put it near magnitude 8 while some projections are more optimistic, so reported visibility estimates vary. Summary: April combines regular lunar and planetary phases with two comets in differing situations and the Lyrid shower peaking late in the month, making it a month of varied celestial activity. The sungrazer MAPS faces an uncertain outcome after its close solar pass, while PANSTARRS is expected to be near Earth around April 17 with varying brightness projections. The overall visibility of these comets and meteor activity depends on their behavior and sky conditions. Undetermined at this time.