Here's What's Up In April's Night Sky

April Night Sky: Meteors, Moon And The Big Dipper

With planets, a meteor shower and a strange glowing light, April's night sky serves up some sweet spring treats.

That's if volatile spring weather doesn't get in the way.

Here's what to look out - and up - for in this month's night sky, plus what to know about the weather.

When To See Mars And Jupiter

Both planets will appear near the moon on separate nights. First up is Jupiter, joining the crescent moon in the western sky for three nights in a row from April 1 through April 3.

Mars moves in next, hanging with the moon on April 4 and April 5. Look more to the southwest for a view that will also include the two bright stars of the constellation Gemini, named Pollux and Castor.

April's Full Moon

This month it's called the Pink Moon. Legend has it that April's full moon was named after the color of blooming spring flowers. It will shine brightest on April 12 - 13.

Lyrids Meteor Shower Peaks

The highlight of this month, the Lyrids meteor shower, is visible from April 15 to April 30. But it peaks right about in the middle, overnight on April 21-22. The best time to watch is between the time the moon sets and the sun rises.

One of the oldest known recorded meteor showers, the Lyrids have been observed for more than 2,700 years.

Known for their speed and brightness, you could see up to 18 meteors per hour in the right conditions, according to NASA.

Next Up, The Moon, Venus And Saturn

If You're Lucky, You Might Spot This

If your skies are really dark and clear any night now through mid-May, keep an eye out for an area of glowing sky in the west after sunset. It’s called zodiacal light and it’s caused by grains of dust reflecting around the sun.

It's also visible in fall.

April's Weather Can Be A Mixed Bag, Though

"Temperatures in April are warming up, but if you're hunkering down for an astronomical event overnight, you're still going to want a jacket and longer pants nearby to switch into when temperatures drop," weather.com digital meteorologist Jonathan Belles said.

Spring in general is the most volatile weather season across the nation, and April is on average the second highest month for number of tornadoes.

"If you're in the South or Plains, you'll want to keep an eye on your western horizon to watch for incoming storms as storms increase in severity and coverage through the spring," Belles said.

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Weather.com staff writer Jan Childs covers breaking news and features related to weather, space, climate change, the environment and everything in between.