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Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Watch April's Full Pink 'micromoon' rise this weekend with a free telescope livestream
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The farthest, smallest and faintest full moon of the year rises this weekend — and you can watch it live online. April's full moon — also called the Pink Moon, or Paschal Moon — rises Saturday (April 12) and peaks at 8:22 p.m. EDT (0022 GMT April 13). While it won't appear pink, this month's full moon will look slightly smaller and dimmer in the night sky because the moon will be farthest from Earth, also known as apogee. That's why it's said to be a "micromoon." The Virtual Telescope Project will provide a view of the micromoon using its robotic telescopes in Manciano, Italy. The project's free online livestream will begin at 8:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday (0000 GMT on April 13), as the moon reaches its full phase. You can watch the livestream here on courtesy of the Virtual Telescope Project or directly on their WebTV page or YouTube channel. Related Stories: — April's Full Pink Moon will rise as a 'micromoon' this weekend — what to expect from the smallest full moon of 2025 — Newly discovered Comet C/2025 F2 (SWAN) captured in stunning photo blazing across UK skies — Moon dust may help astronauts power sustainable lunar cities. Here's how. This weekend, the moon will reach a maximum distance of about 252,277 miles (406,000 kilometers) from our planet, according to a statement from the Virtual Telescope Project. "As a consequence, our satellite will appear in the sky about 6% smaller than an average full moon," Gianluca Masi, Virtual Telescope Project founder and astronomer, told "In addition, this will be the farthest and faintest full moon of the year." However, this subtle size difference will be tricky to spot with the naked eye. Located under the clear, dark skies of Italy's Maremma's countryside, the Virtual Telescope Project will share real-time images of the faint full moon for viewers to enjoy from the comfort of their homes.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Look up! What's going on in the April night sky?
Eyes to the sky for the month of April, for a chance to spot debris from two different comets streaking through our night skies, and the smallest Full Moon of 2025. The Astronomical Guide to April 2025: April 4-5 — First Quarter Moon April 5-6 — Mars near the Waxing Gibbous Moon April 12-13 — Full Pink Moon April 14 — Lyrid meteor shower begins April 19 — eta Aquariid meteor shower begins April 20-21 — Last Quarter Moon April 21 — Mercury highest above eastern horizon before dawn April 21-22 — Lyrid meteor shower peaks April 24,25 — Mercury, Venus, and Saturn near Waning Crescent Moon April 27 — New Moon, Venus at its brightest April 30 — Lyrid meteor shower endsThe astronomical events for April 2025, including the phases of the Moon, planetary conjunctions, and meteor showers. (Scott Sutherland, moon graphics from NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio, planet conjunctions courtesy Stellarium) The Waxing Crescent Moon will be in the western sky each night to start off the month, until the First Quarter Moon on the 5th. The second week of the month will feature a Waxing Gibbous Moon until the night of the 12th-13th, when the Full Pink Moon will rise — the farthest, smallest, and dimmest Full Moon of 2025. Passing through its Waning Gibbous phase from the 13th to the 20th, we will see the Last Quarter Moon on the 21st. The Waning Crescent Moon can be seen in the predawn sky each morning after until the New Moon on the 27th. Although we will not see it, this will be the closest 'super' New Moon of this year. DON'T MISS: Spring Constellations are taking over across the night sky during the month of April. To the south, Orion is still visible in the western sky each evening, with Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, and Serpens/Ophiuchus following along throughout the night. The constellations in the southern sky at midnight on April 15, 2025. (Stellarium) To the north, Cassiopeia, Ursa Major ("The Big Dipper"), and Ursa Minor ("The Little Dipper") are still the easiest constellations to pick out, with Hercules and Draco featuring prominently as well. The constellations in the northern sky at midnight on April 15, 2025. (Stellarium) SPACE WEATHER: After over three months of waiting, the yearly 'meteor shower drought' between January and April ends this month. The Lyrids On the night of the 14th, Earth enters a stream of debris in space left behind by comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher). The tiny meteoroids in this stream will produce meteors in our night sky, which appear to originate from the constellation Lyra. This is the annual Lyrid meteor shower. The Lyrids start out sparse, with maybe one or two meteors per hour, for the first few days of the shower. This number will increase as we approach the most concentrated part of the stream, until the shower peaks at around 20 meteors per hour on the night of the 21st through the 22nd. After the peak, the number of meteors diminishes until Earth exits Comet Thatcher's debris stream on the 30th. The radiant of the Lyrid meteor shower in the eastern sky on the night of April 21-22. (Stellarium/Scott Sutherland) The timing of the Lyrids peak, with respect to the phases of the Moon, is fairly good this year. On the night of the peak, the meteor shower radiant rises at around 9:30 p.m., and a Waning Crescent Moon will appear above the horizon around 4 in the morning. That leaves most of the night with a dark, moonless sky, and even the light of the Crescent Moon shouldn't spoil the show. This is good news, because the Lyrids typically produce about 20 meteors per hour during their peak, so we can use all the help we can get to spot as many of them as possible. One exceptional thing about this meteor shower is that the meteoroid debris from Comet Thatcher hits the top of Earth's atmosphere at exceptionally fast speeds, around 100,000 km/h. Thus, anything larger than a grain of dust in the stream tends to produce a bright fireball that can easily be spotted, even during a Full Moon! The eta Aquariids On April 19, a second meteor shower begins, as Earth crosses into a second debris stream in space, this time left behind by famous Halley's Comet! This begins the eta Aquariid meteor shower. As with the Lyrids, the eta Aquariids begin with just a few meteors per hour, visible in the few hours just before morning twilight. We won't see this meteor shower peak until early May, though. The radiant of the eta Aquariid meteor shower in the predawn hours of May 6, 2025. (Stellarium/Scott Sutherland) One fascinating phenomenon we tend to see with the eta Aquariids is something called 'persistent trains'. These are glowing trails left behind after the meteor winks out, which can persist in the air for anywhere from minutes to hours. Four frames taken from a persistent train video, shot on October 21, 2022, show the initial Orionid meteor flash, and three views of the persistent train that developed in its wake. (Brenda Tate/Tim Doucette/UGC) Exactly what causes these persistent trains is still something of a mystery. The problem, mostly, is that they have only rarely been recorded, so researchers only have a few examples to study. (Thumbnail image courtesy Fiona Donnelly who captured this Lyrid meteor along with the Northern Lights in April of 2017.)
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Don't Miss the Northern Lights This Week! Here's How to See Them
The northern lights may be visible on April 3 and April 4 in various states across the United States. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts a Kp index of three on April 3 and five on April 4. The best time to see the northern lights is from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. local only the first week of April, but the sky is already preparing to put on an impressive show for stargazers. This week, the northern lights are expected to illuminate the night sky, dazzling people across the country. On Thursday, April 3, and Friday, April 4, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that the aurora borealis will be visible throughout North America. According to the NOAA's view line, those in parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine may be able to see the northern lights over the next two nights. Related: April's Full Pink Moon Will Be a Micromoon—Here's How to See It The Kp index is expected to reach three tonight and five tomorrow night. Per the Geophysical Institute, the Kp Index is a numeric scale, ranging from one to 10, that describes geomagnetic activity and is computed by averaging the magnetic activity globally every three hours. The NOAA publishes a dual map daily, featuring the aurora forecast for tonight and tomorrow. The two maps show the aurora and view line. The brightness and location of the aurora are typically depicted as a green oval, which turns red when the forecast is expected to be more intense. On April 4, the view map shows a red oval, so stargazers should expect an impressive sight. Per the NOAA, the northern lights aren't visible during daylight hours. The best time to observe this celestial phenomenon is during the evening from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. local time. Travel away from street or city lights and air pollution, then look up and wait to be amazed. Read the original article on Martha Stewart
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Expect Severe Weather and Increased Tornado Activity This Spring, According to New Report
Spring is officially here! While this means longer and warmer days, it also marks the peak of severe weather season. A recent report from AccuWeather reveals what to expect from storms and tornadoes this year so you can be better prepared. According to the report, the worst of the storms this season are predicted to occur outside of Tornado Alley. "Tornado Alley is an area of the U.S. where there is a high potential for tornado development," reports Dan Kottlowski, senior meteorologist for AccuWeather. "This area encompasses much of northern Texas northward through Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and parts of Louisiana, Iowa, Nebraska, and eastern Colorado." Severe weather is anticipated throughout March, April, and May. Cold air from Canada mingles with warm, moist air from the Gulf, creating life-threatening thunderstorms throughout the central and eastern U.S. Per AccuWeather, the worst of the severe weather is expected to occur east of Tornado Alley, specifically in the Mississippi, Tennessee, and Western Ohio valleys. The concentration of storms in this area is due to a combination of high pressure over the Southwest and abnormally warm waters in the Gulf. Farther north, early spring may feel like an extension of winter, pausing the threat of severe thunderstorms and tornados. "Periods of cool and more stable air can cross the Great Lakes, lowering the threat of widespread severe weather this spring across the eastern Ohio Valley, mid-Atlantic, and Northeast," says Paul Pastelok, long-range expert for AccuWeather. Thunderstorms are expected to become more widespread in May across the Midwest, mid-Atlantic, and parts of Tornado Alley. Long-lived and destructive storms, called derechos, will also increase in spring and into summer. These storms are known for their intense winds and damage. "Though it is early to determine where these may form, we are leaning toward the central Plains and mid-Mississippi Valley based on the pattern forecast and research," Pastelok says. As far as tornadoes, AccuWeather predicts there will be 75 to 150 tornadoes in March, 200 to 300 in April, and 250 to 350 in May. These predictions are near or above the 30-year historical average. For all of 2025, the weather forecasting service predicts 1,300 to 1,450 tornadoes, compared to the historical average of 1,225. Related: April's Full Pink Moon Will Be a Micromoon—Here's How to See It Read the original article on Martha Stewart
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
April stargazing guide: Pink Moon, Lyrid meteor shower and more
Warmer spring weather is drawing more people outdoors, even after dark, to stargaze following the frigid nights of winter. April promises to be an exciting month for skywatchers, featuring a variety of celestial events - including the first meteor shower in more than three months. Full Pink Moon: April 12-13 The first full moon of astronomical spring will shine brightly in the April sky during the second weekend of the month. It's associated with the changing flora that arrives with the warming season. April's full moon is commonly called the Pink Moon - not because the moon changes color but because of the wild ground phlox, one of the first flowers to blossom in the spring across eastern North America. The plant features pink and purple petals. Pink phlox wildflowers growing in a grassy field. () Alternate nicknames for April's full moon include the Frog Moon, the Sugar Maker Moon and the Breaking Ice Moon. Lyrid meteor shower: April 21-22 Shooting stars will return to the night sky as the Lyrid meteor shower peaks on the night of Monday, April 21 into the early hours of Tuesday, April 22. This will be just the second moderate meteor shower of 2025, following the Quadrantids which peaked on Jan. 3. Up to 20 meteors per hour may be visible on peak night, with the best views expected during the second half of the night. (m-gucci/Getty Images) The next meteor shower after the Lyrids will be the Eta Aquarids, which will peak on the night of May 4 into the early morning of May 5. Crescent moon cuddles up with Venus, Saturn and Mercury: April 25 Early risers will be treated to a striking celestial display as four planets and the moon align in the eastern sky before sunrise on Friday, April 25. Venus will shine brightly at the top of the formation, with Saturn appearing dimmer below and to the right, near the crescent moon. Mercury will be the most difficult to spot, sitting very low on the horizon in the pre-dawn sky. April marks the beginning of Venus' extended stay in the pre-dawn sky. The planet - one of the brightest natural objects after the sun and moon - will remain a prominent fixture in the eastern sky every morning before sunrise throughout the summer and much of autumn.
