Exploring the Lyrid Shower, Cosmic Microfills, and Planetary Pyramids
On Saturday, April 13 at 2:22 a.m. , one of the tiniest full moons of the year will be visible in the night sky. This event is known as microlunar and it is quite different from the well-known supermoon. A microlunar occurs when the Moon is at its farthest point from Earth, making it appear a bit smaller and not as bright as it usually does. Our Moon, which orbits the Earth in an elliptical path, reaches its farthest point of apogee (the highest distance from the ground) at about 406,700 kilometers. If you happen to miss this event, don’t worry—there will be another chance on May 12, when a similar microfull moon will take place.
After the microfull moon, we can look forward to the arrival of meteors. The Lyrids mark a cherished springtime event among meteor showers. Especially during the early hours, when the Lyra constellation is at its peak, you may spot bright meteors, known as bolides. The usual rate during this peak can reach up to 20 meteors per hour, and on rare occasions, it can go even higher. The Lyrids are most active between April 16 and 25, with their maximum activity expected on the night of April 21-22, 2025. During this time, the Moon will be nearing the new moon phase, which means moonlight won’t interfere with the visibility of the meteors. The best time to see these Lyrids is in the early morning hours, between 2 a.m. and dawn. The source comet of this meteor shower is the periodic comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, which was discovered on April 4, 1861, by American professor and astronomer Albert E. Thatcher. It takes this comet 415 years to orbit the Sun. However, we will need to wait until 2276 to see Thatcher’s Comet again, but its meteors, made of dust from the comet as it passes the Sun, visit us every year.
At the end of the month, an exciting alignment of Venus, Saturn, and Mercury will be observable. On Friday, April 25, 2025, these planets will put on a celestial display. Just before sunrise (before 5:00 a.m.), the waning Moon will join Venus and Saturn, forming an almost perfect triangle over the eastern horizon, with Mercury appearing as a distant participant in the scene. This “pyramid” formation will be brief yet spectacular, making it worth waking up early to enjoy this interesting sight. Since this phenomenon occurs during the very late dawn, you’ll need clear skies and an elevated viewpoint (like hills, mountains, or the top floors of buildings) to see this striking alignment of three celestial bodies.
