The stargazing gear you need for April 2026
As the winter constellations sit lower and lower in the night sky, April sees the arrival of some pretty exciting nighttime events. The full moon at the start of the month makes a great target for beginners, and not only is there the breathtaking Lyrid meteor shower (the week of the new moon, no less), but there are also two comets to see in April, although one of them will be flying too close to the sun to appreciate with the naked eye.
Read on for our recommendations on the best cameras, best binoculars, and best telescopes for every event throughout the month of April.
April 1: Full Pink Moon
The month of April begins with a full pink moon on the night of April 1st to 2nd. The full moon always pleases everyone, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned astronomer. The moon can easily be observed with the naked eye, as we all know, but if you want to get a closer, more detailed view, grab a pair of binoculars or a small telescope to view the craters and lunar surface in more detail. Evening moonrise is also a great time to photograph the moon, especially if you can capture it rising over a bridge, monument or tower to add drama and scale.
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Camera: Provided your camera performs well in low light, your lens choice is actually more important when photographing the moon. You’ll need a long focal length to zoom in as far as possible, so the moon appears larger in the frame (a tripod or monopod will also help stabilize your shot). Alternatively, smart telescopes can track and stack images of the moon, which is a great alternative if you don’t have an astrophotography camera.
Binoculars: You can see the moon with just about any pair of binoculars, but it depends on the level of detail you want to see and whether you want to use it handheld or on a tripod. We’ve had some nice views of the moon even with compact binoculars, but if you want the best views, we recommend choosing a pair of large astronomy binoculars – 12×50 and above is a good place to start.
Telescope: You can certainly get good views of the Moon with a small telescope, but, as you might expect, larger tubes will have better light-gathering capacity. In fact, the eyepiece will probably make the biggest difference to observing the Moon.
A 20mm eyepiece will provide beautiful full moon views, but a high-power 6-10mm eyepiece is ideal for detecting surface details. That said, the moon is a great first target for your kids to observe with a kid-friendly telescope.
April 3: Mercury at its greatest western elongation
Most casual observers will benefit from observing Mercury with the naked eye, thanks to its magnitude. But if you have a beginner’s telescope handy and don’t mind getting up before dawn, you can actually see Mercury in its phases, but don’t expect to see any details on the surface. Additionally, you’ll have to deal with Mercury’s bright pre-dawn light and low altitude, so we don’t recommend spending too much time on it.
April 4: Comet Sungrazer C/2026 A1 (MAPS)
Although not technically a night sky object, it is possible to see a “sungrazer” comet early this month. Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) comes closest to our star on April 4, and if it survives this close encounter, it could shines up to several times brighter than the full moon. Unfortunately, due to its proximity to the sun, the safest way to observe it is on your computer, via the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).
Solar observing can be dangerous, and while it would be tempting to use specialized solar observing equipment, this is designed to block over 99% of the sun’s harmful light, so a pair of solar binoculars would block the comet entirely.
April 13: Mars/Neptune Conjunction
Before dawn on April 13, Mars will be in conjunction with the distant planet Neptune, and if conditions are right, you could be able to see it with your telescope. There are some caveats here, however.
First, you’ll need a large aperture telescope to be able to see Neptune due to its distance from Earth – you’ll need at least a 6-8 inch telescope. Second, the conjunction will occur when the planets are very close to the horizon, so viewing conditions will not be ideal at this low altitude. Third, since this will happen just before sunrise, you won’t have long before it gets too dim.
This is an interesting event to try, but we recommend waiting until the week of the new moon to get significant sightings of the ice giant.
April 17: New moon
This week is the optimal time for dark skies. With a new moon on the 17th, the few days surrounding it will be perfect for stargazing without any moonlight spoiling the view. Spring is also prime galaxy season, giving you the opportunity to see and imagine slight blurs that you don’t normally get to see.
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Camera: If you want to photograph galaxies, there are two ways you can go about it. The first (and by far simplest) is to use a smart telescope, which will locate, track and stack images for you. The second way is to use a camera (even a beginner’s astro camera will do), a long telephoto lens and a star tracker. This method requires more know-how – and more patience – but will be more rewarding if you master it correctly. If you want a third bonus method, you can mount your camera on your telescope, if you have both.
Binoculars: Binoculars are ideal if you want a portable way to observe more stars than you can see with the naked eye, without having to worry about a telescope, although you won’t be able to see many galaxies. All you need is a pair of 10x50s to scan the sky to observe star clusters and constellations, or you can get higher magnification to view the Andromeda Galaxy and Jupiter’s moons.
Telescope: The week of the new moon is a great time to head out with a telescope and perhaps one of your last chances to observe some of the winter constellations before they disappear. Since there is no moonlight, you can use anything from a small beginner telescope to a large Dobsonian and still get good views.
April 17: C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS)
During the dark week of the new moon, you may be able to spot the second of April’s comets, Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) — the “Great Comet of 2026” — just before sunrise. We don’t yet know how bright it will be, but some researchers have predicted that it could reach magnitudes ranging from 8 (and therefore only visible with a telescope or large astronomy binoculars) to 2.5, where it would be visible to the naked eye.
You can spot the comet now with a telescope, and it will only get brighter as the month progresses until its closest approach (perihelion) on April 17. Then, on April 27, it will come closest to Earth, giving you another favorable opportunity to see it.
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Camera: To photograph this comet, you’ll need a decent astrophotography setup with a telephoto lens to capture the comet’s core and tail. A smart telescope is an alternative option, especially if you live in a light-polluted city, and will give you a closer view than a camera.
Binoculars: It’s very likely that you can spot the comet with binoculars, but its magnitude will determine the specs you need. To be safe, you’ll need the largest lens diameter you can afford to let in the greatest amount of light.
Telescope: You should only need a small telescope to view the comet, although, as expected, larger aperture instruments will give brighter results.
April 21/22: Lyrid meteor shower peak
While the Lyrid meteor shower will be active from April 15-29, it is expected to peak during the night of April 21-22, with the best viewing being after midnight until dawn. The moon phase will also work in its favor, with only about 27% illumination, and since it’s set to set just after midnight, most of the night won’t see any moonlight at all. Meteors will be visible all over the sky, coming from the constellation Lyra, near the bright star Vega.
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Camera: Meteor showers are a very rewarding event for astrophotographers to photograph. You’ll need a camera that can handle high ISO levels (this is also helped by the lack of moonlight) and a fast wide-angle prime lens to fit as much of the sky and foreground into your shot as possible.
The OM System OM-1 Mark II would be fantastic for meteor showers, as you can see exactly what’s recorded on the screen with Live Composite mode – proof that even APS-C and Micro Four Thirds cameras can work well for astrophotography.
Binoculars: Although the naked eye is generally best for meteor showers, binoculars can help you spot faint meteors and darker tails that you usually can’t see. Plus, while you wait, you can check out other favorite nighttime targets like star clusters, planets, and the Milky Way with a pair of 10x42s. However, as this is one of the largest showers, binoculars – who often struggle to keep up – are not a necessity.
