On Saturday morning, April 18, if you have a clear view of the eastern horizon, use binoculars to scan the eastern horizon just before sunrise, around 5:45 a.m., and you may catch the planets of Mars, Saturn, and possibly Mercury. Be very careful doing this, because they are all close to the sun, and the sun rises at 6:11 a.m.! You must have a totally clear view to the east to catch this threesome.

Venus will be an evening planet in April and May, climbing higher in the evening sky throughout both months.

Jupiter is an evening planet, but sinks lower into the west day by day, so that by the end of May, it is much lower in the western sky.

Saturn has transitioned to a morning planet, but it is difficult to see. Look for it around 30-40 minutes before sunrise, very low in the eastern sky. It will be easier to spot by late May.

Mars is also a morning planet rising just before the sun.

Note: The Lyrid Meteor Shower is one of the oldest recorded meteor showers, with observations dating back to around 687 B.C. The best viewing will be the morning of April 22nd. The moon is near first quarter, so expect some interference from moonlight.

Note: The Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower occurs when Earth passes through debris left by Haley’s Comet. This shower is expected to peak on the night of May 5-6. Unfortunately, the moon will be nearly full, so you’ll only see the brightest meteors.

Note: What is a Blue Moon? Does it appear blue? The answer to the second question is definitely no. A Blue Moon is the name given to the second full moon that occurs within a single calendar month. Since the time between full moons is about 29.5 days and most calendar months are 30 or 31 days long (except February), this can occur. In fact, they occur every 2.4 years and have no astronomical or historical significance.