An Easter Moon
No need for a telescope! Here are a couple fun astronomical tidbits for April.
Seeing Stars
Just in time for Earth Day, the Lyrid meteor shower appears in the night sky in late April!
The Lyrids reach their peak on the night of April 22–23, 2022, when you can expect to see an average of 10 to 20 meteors per hour in dark, clear skies between midnight and dawn. Rarely, the Lyrids produce surges of up to 100 meteors per hour!
If there are clear skies in your area on the night of April 22, ask a parent to take you out to look for shooting stars! (And don’t forget to make a wish!)
For more details, see our 2023 Meteor Shower Calendar.
Find the Date of Easter with Astronomy
Did you know that the date of Easter depends on the full Moon and the spring equinox?
That’s right! Easter’s date, which is different every year, is determined by the dates of the spring equinox and the full Moon. The holiday is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full Moon of the spring season. This full Moon is called the “Paschal full Moon.”
Try It Yourself:
Can you calculate Easter’s Date in 2023? Here’s what you need to know:
- The first day of spring (the spring equinox) was March 20, 2023.
- There was a full Moon on March 7, and there will be another full Moon on April 6.
So, when is Easter this year?
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(Answer: Easter will be celebrated on Sunday, April 9, 2023! Read more about April’s full Moon!)