What to observe in the sky in April 2026 with a smart telescope.
02 Apr. 2026
April 2026 astronomical calendar
It is recommended to observe nebulae and galaxies when the Moon is not visible. Its brightness diminishes the darkness of the sky and reduces the quality of observations of faint and diffuse objects.
Refer to the following calendar for the best days this month.
- April 2 — Full Moon
- April 10 — Last Quarter Moon
- April 11 — Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) enters the Great Square of Pegasus and is visible just before sunset from the Northern Hemisphere
- April 17 — New Moon
- April 22 — Lyrid meteor shower peak (usually modest, with a maximum hourly rate around 18, but sometimes produces bright meteors)
- April 24 — First Quarter Moon
Celestial Scene of the Month
Northern sky
The MarKarian's Chain
In the heart of the Virgo Cluster, Markarian’s Chain is one of the most rewarding “galaxy fields” you can put in a single frame: a graceful arc galaxies that seems to flow across the sky in a curved line. The classic chain itself fits best in a wide field of roughly 2° , and the wider you go, the more the background begins to sparkle with additional Virgo members.
Main galaxies that define the chain (bright anchors and key links):
- M84 (NGC 4374) and M86 (NGC 4406): the two bright “gateposts” that make the chain easy to recognize and frame.
- NGC 4435 + NGC 4438: the interacting pair often nicknamed “Markarian’s Eyes”—one of the most characterful spots in the arc.
- NGC 4458 and NGC 4461: a subtle but satisfying step along the curve as you follow it away from the core.
- NGC 4473 and NGC 4477: fainter “end links” that complete the impression of a continuous procession.
Southern sky
From the Statue of Liberty Nebula to the Wishing Well Cluster
Here's an unusual framing ratio that aimed to go from a violent stellar nursery to a pure star-cluster showcase. The span from NGC 3576 (the Statue of Liberty Nebula) to NGC 3532 is populated with several star clusters and ionized hydrogen clouds.
The main points of interest in the field:
NGC 3576 — Statue of Liberty Nebula (Carina)
A bright H II region packed with dark intrusions and sharp, sculpted edges. Try to see the Statue shape.
NGC 3603 — extreme star-formation hub
Nearby NGC 3603, a compact, energetic region whose dense core can read like a brilliant knot embedded in glowing gas
NGC 3572 + NGC 3579 — clusters and glowing structure “in between”
A beautiful transitional zone: an open cluster sitting amid nebulosity and dust, where the starfield thickens and the scene starts to shift from “nebula drama” toward “cluster richness.”
NGC 3590 — a compact cluster against dusty Carina
A tight grouping of stars that pops nicely and adds a clean, stellar waypoint before you arrive at the big finale.
NGC 3532 — the Wishing Well Cluster (Caldwell 91)
The destination and payoff: a large, bright open cluster that spreads across nearly twice the apparent diameter of the full Moon in rich images, sparkling, colorful, and densely sprinkled.
"Plan my Night" of the month
Suggested observation program you can automate with "Plan My Night."
Give each object as much observation time as you can to get the best results.
Northern sky
Do not use the dual band filter for this plan.
Southern sky
Do not use the Dual band filter.
Around the full moon
During the few nights surrounding the full moon, it's best to focus on star clusters, which are less affected by the Moon’s light pollution.
Northern sky
Messier 3
one of the great globular clusters of the northern sky
Mag: 6.3 - Angular size: 17'
Constellation: Canes Venatici
Southern sky
Omega Centauri
The GOAT globular cluster
Mag.: 3.9 - Angular size: 36'
Challenging Target of the Month
Northern sky
The Needle Galaxy
The Needle Galaxy (NGC 4565) is one of the sky’s most dramatic edge-on spirals, yet it’s surprisingly overlooked, often skipped in favor of brighter Messier showpieces nearby. Set in Coma Berenices, it appears as a razor-thin streak of light with a bright central bulge, floating in a relatively quiet patch of sky. With more integration, its signature feature starts to stand out: a dark dust lane slicing along the length of the disk, giving the galaxy that unmistakable “needle” profile.
Southern sky
The Blue Horsehead Nebula
Blue Horsehead Nebula (IC 4592) is a faint reflection nebula in Scorpius, famous for the way its dust can resemble a horse’s head in long-exposure images. The glow comes from starlight scattering off dust, and the “eye” of the horse is often associated with the bright multiple-star system Nu Scorpii shining right in the field.
It is a huge target requiring the mosaic mode. As it is subtle a very long integration time is also advised. Do not use any filter.
Magnitude and angular size reminder
