April is Global Astronomy Month, and the Hamptons Observatory has some suggestions for how you can enjoy the stars from the comfort of your own home.
"During times such as these it's important to remember that our universe is full of wonders, which we can still embrace and enjoy," the observatory said in an announcement.
Monday begins International Dark Skies Week, which can be celebrated by turning off exterior house lights at night. That should make it easier to watch the stars. Even the moon is cooperating: there will be a new moon in the next few days, making the sky dimmer than if the moon were in a fuller phase.
The Lyrid meteor shower will peak pre-dawn on Wednesday with the greatest number of meteors visible closest to dawn. Lyrid meteors began to appear Wednesday and will continue through April 30, with 10 to 15 meteors visible per hour — although "Lyrids are known to have hard-to-predict outbursts that bring the rate up to 100 per hour and can include fireballs," the Hamptons Observatory says.
Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars can often be seen in the morning sky, and the planet Venus, which is currently the brightest object in the western sky at dusk, will peak in brilliance on Monday, April 27.
Explore.org has a Northern Lights camera that can be viewed online for free.
The Hamptons Observatory, formerly known as the Montauk Observatory, is a local nonprofit organization established in 2005 to promote interest in science and astronomy. It can be found online at hamptonsobservatory.org.
