Photo: Austin Human on Unsplash.com

By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - April 20, 2026

As Minnesota Dark Sky Week concludes on April 20, special night sky events begin this week and continue through early May for stargazers, provided the clouds cooperate. One of those events is the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower, which is expected to hit on the night of April 22. According to NASA, night sky viewers may see around 18 meteors per hour, with the best time for viewing beginning around 10:30 p.m.

Shortly after, on April 25, the comet C/2025 R3 will reach its peak brightness. First discovered in September 2025 by the Pan-STARRS survey telescope in Hawaii, this comet may not be visible to the naked eye, but NASA suggests using binoculars under dark skies to spot it in the eastern sky before sunrise.

The month of May brings two full moons, both classified as micromoons by NASA. Micromoons occur when the moon reaches its farthest point from Earth in its orbit, making it appear slightly smaller than a standard full moon. 

The first full moon, known in Ojibwe as Zaagibagaa-giizis or the Budding Moon, occurs on May 1. According to NASA, this moon often displays a golden hue and appears at its largest when positioned near the horizon. 

Because May contains two full moons, the second one on May 31 is designated as a "Blue Moon. "