Hi,
Here's a quick guide to the most interesting things you can see in the night sky this weekend.
This time, the sky is a mix of bright, easy targets and a few slightly more challenging ones if you want to go a bit deeper. The Moon will be quite bright, so it's a great weekend for planets, constellations, and a couple of classic objects if you have binoculars.
Nothing complicated-just a few things worth looking up for.
🔭 Best Things to See This Weekend
Jupiter & Venus after sunset
Two bright planets are still putting on a nice show in the evening sky.
Jupiter is easy to spot in the western sky after sunset, appearing as a bright, steady point of light in Gemini.
Venus sits lower in the west-northwest and shines brilliantly about 30-60 minutes after sunset. It's extremely bright and one of the easiest objects to find.
Planets don't twinkle as much as stars, so if you see a very bright, steady light-you're likely looking at one of them.
Best time to observe:
About 30-60 minutes after sunset
Equipment:
Visible with the naked eye
🌙 Moon Phase
The Moon is currently waning gibbous and about 95% illuminated this weekend.
That means it will be very bright and will wash out many faint deep-sky objects.
If you want darker skies, your best chance is:
- earlier in the evening
- or focusing on brighter targets
The bright Moon itself is a great object to observe, especially with binoculars, where surface details become much more visible.
✨ Deep Sky Object of the Weekend
Leo Triplet (M65, M66, NGC 3628) in Leo
This is a group of three galaxies located close together in the constellation Leo.
Under good conditions, they appear as faint, hazy patches of light-subtle, but very rewarding once you find them.
How to find it:
Start with Leo's "Sickle" shape (a backward question mark).
From the bright star Regulus, move toward the star Chertan and slightly toward Virgo.
A stargazing app can help you pinpoint the exact location quickly.
Equipment:
Best with binoculars or a small telescope
📷 Astrophotography Target
Leo Triplet
This is also a great beginner-friendly astrophotography target.
The three galaxies sit close together, making them perfect for a wider field of view.
Beginner setup:
Short focal length lens or small telescope
15-30 second exposures
Tripod (or basic tracker if available)
With enough stacked frames, you can start to bring out the structure of multiple galaxies in a single image.
👀 Easy Naked-Eye Target
Leo the Lion
Leo is one of the easiest constellations to recognize this time of year.
Look toward the south after sunset and find:
- a backward question mark shape (the "Sickle")
- ending at the bright star Regulus
Once you spot it, the rest of the constellation becomes much easier to trace.
🌠 Meteor Activity
The Lyrids meteor shower is now active (April 14-30), but it has not reached its peak yet.
This weekend:
- activity is low
- you might see an occasional meteor
- expected rate: up to ~5 per hour under ideal conditions
For better meteor viewing, it's worth waiting until closer to the peak later in April.
🌌 Stargazing Tip of the Week
Focus on brighter targets when the Moon is full or nearly full.
Instead of trying to see faint galaxies or nebulae, use this time to:
- observe planets
- learn constellations
- explore the Moon
👉 Adjusting your expectations to conditions makes stargazing much more enjoyable.
Clear skies,
Paul, AstroPhotons.com
PS
If you enjoy this newsletter, feel free to share it with a friend who likes looking up at the night sky.
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