April’s Pink Full Moon to remain fully illuminated tonight!
The Lyrid meteor shower will also be visible ☄️ 🌙
The fourth full moon of 2024 commonly known as the “pink” moon is a rare celestial event and will remain nearly fully illuminated tonight (Wednesday 24th April).
The Lyrid meteor shower will also be visible alongside several planets.
The Lyrids meteor shower, whih peaks during late April, is one of the oldest known meteor showers. According to Nasa; “Lyrids don’t tend to leave long, glowing dust trains behind them as they streak through the Earth's atmosphere, but they can produce the occasional bright flash called a fireball.”
Why is it called a pink moon?
In many cultures, including Native American tribes, people named the full moons throughout the year as a way to keep track of time.
So April’s full moon is named after pink flowers called wild ground phlox, which bloom in early spring in the US and Canada.
The April full moon is also known as the egg moon, fish moon and grass moon.
Clear skies are best for stargazing, so we thought we’d take a look at the weather forecast for tonight.
The Met Office predicts we’ll have some evening sunshine, and should stay dry overnight, with a touch of frost possible in places, although cloud is expected to increase towards dawn.
Check out NI’s top spots for stargazing:
Darvagh Forest, Cookstown
Davagh Forest Park is the first place in Northern Ireland to be accredited as an IDA International Dark Sky Park. It is one of only 85 places around the globe to hold this distinction.
Carrick-a-Rede, Ballintoy
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge site is classified as one of the best places in Northern Ireland for stargazing. Periodically Carrick-a-Rede hosts special star gazing evenings for astronomy fans.
The entire The Antrim coast road offers points where the aurora sometimes makes an impactful show at night.
Mourne Mountains, Newcastle
There's no need to worry about finding a decent spot for your car or struggling with crowds to see the stars. The Mournes offer miles and miles of stunning scenery, hiking trails and nocturnal skies.
This is truly the perfect spot, void of any light pollution, so pitch up a tent and fall asleep staring at the twinkling sky above.
Oxford Island, Craigavon
Nestled on the banks of Lough Neagh sits Oxford Island! Fun fact: the area has hosted BBC Stargazing Live and has been named a top Dark Sky Discovery Site.
Delamont Country Park, Downpatrick
Another tranquil spot, this time situated on the shores of Strangford Lough.
This beautiful 200-acre park hosts monthly events here with the Irish Astro Association. These sessions cater for everyone no matter their experience, and all ages are welcome.
Divis Mountain, Belfast
The closest stargazing spot to Belfast has to be Divis Mountain, that towers over the city 478m high. The views overlooking the capital city are spectacular but cast your eyes to the skies and you'll still have plenty to see.
Th elevation is so high here, towards the top of the mountain sees very little light pollution from the city below.
Benone Beach, Limavady
Stretching from Lough Foyle and Magilligan Point to Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne, enjoy seven miles of golden sands and unparalleled views across to Donegal. There's something so special gazing at the night sky with the sound of waves in the distance.
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