Look Up! Three Visible Planets Will Rise During April's Full Moon
The April Full Moon is set to peak soon — but it’s not the only thing in the sky worth seeing.
For many people, the month of April brings happy vibes. Many of us finally get to say goodbye to the cold, dreary winter months and look ahead to warmer weather, which is marked by the gorgeous Pink Moon of April. But, lucky us, this month April isn’t only bringing one of the most stunning Full Moons, but we’re also going to see three dazzling sky neighbors, too. Here’s what you need to know.
The April Full Moon is set to peek in the evening of April 5 and into the morning of April 6, but as the moon rises into the evening on April 5, there will be three extra bright spots you’ll want to find: three planets!
Which planets will be visible during this year’s April Pink Moon?
According to Space.com, right around the time April’s Full Moon peeks, lucky stargazers will also get to see Mercury, Venus, and Mars shining from the sky.
This event happens just after last month’s planetary parade, where we saw five planets in the sky at the same time: Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Uranus, and Mars. But this month, the three planets are hanging around a little longer.
How to check out the three planets with the kids
Finding the planets up in the sky is relatively simple — with the naked eye, the three planets will look like slightly brighter stars and will be relatively close to each other.
Space.com says Mercury will be “about 16 degrees high in the west,” Venus will be at “about 35 degrees altitude,” and Mars will be “65 degrees up.”
The best time to see the planets in the sky is when the sky turns dark on April 5, into the very early hours of April 6. The three planets will be visible by the naked eye, but a telescope or binoculars will enhance what you can see.
It's best to find a stargazing area that’s not clouded by city lights, so looking up from an open field where you can see a lot of the sky will be the best option.
