Constellations by month

Constellations of April

The eight constellations at their best in April are Antlia, Chamaeleon, Crater, Hydra, Leo, Leo Minor, Sextans and Ursa Major. The charts show the whole sky at 9 pm on April 15 from 40°N and 35°S. The April Lyrids peaks this month.

The sky at 9 pm in mid-April from 40°N HYDRA URSA MAJOR LEO SEXTANS CRATER ANTLIA LEO MINOR VIRGO HERCULES DRACO BOÖTES CAMELOPARDALIS AURIGA PERSEUS CASSIOPEIA ORION CEPHEUS LYNX GEMINI CANCER MONOCEROS COMA BERENICES URSA MINOR PYXIS CORVUS CANIS MINOR CORONA BOREALIS N S E W
From 40°N (the United States, southern Europe, northern China, Japan). North at top; turn the chart so the direction you face is at the bottom.
The sky at 9 pm in mid-April from 35°S HYDRA URSA MAJOR LEO SEXTANS CRATER ANTLIA LEO MINOR CHAMAELEON VIRGO CENTAURUS PUPPIS LIBRA GEMINI CANCER VELA SCORPIUS CARINA MONOCEROS CANES VENATICI COMA BERENICES CANIS MAJOR PAVO LUPUS TUCANA OCTANS LEPUS COLUMBA TELESCOPIUM HOROLOGIUM PICTOR HYDRUS ARA PYXIS APUS CORVUS CANIS MINOR DORADO NORMA MENSA VOLANS MUSCA CAELUM RETICULUM CRUX S N W E
From 35°S (Sydney, Cape Town, Buenos Aires). South at top; the center is overhead and the rim is the horizon.

Bright lines and names: constellations at their best in April. Gold dashes: the ecliptic, where the Moon and planets travel. 9 pm local standard time on April 15; the same view comes an hour earlier at the end of the month and an hour later at the start. Click a name to open its chart.

Antlia, Chamaeleon, Crater, Hydra, Leo, Leo Minor, Sextans and Ursa Major are at their best in April

A constellation is at its best when it stands highest in the evening, due south from the northern hemisphere or due north from the southern. The last two columns give its height above the horizon at 9 pm in mid-April.

ConstellationMeaningHemisphereBrightest starMessierAt 40°NAt 35°S
AntliaAir PumpSouthernAntliae14°88°
ChamaeleonChameleonSouthernAlpha Chamaeleontisbelow horizon43°
CraterCupSouthernLabrum33°65°
HydraWater MonsterSouthernAlphard328°75°
LeoLionNorthernRegulus565°40°
Leo MinorLesser LionNorthernPraecipua80°25°
SextansSextantSouthernAlpha Sextantis43°62°
Ursa MajorGreat BearNorthernAlioth781°7°

Constellations more than 20° high at 9 pm in April

Measured at the center of each constellation. Large constellations can be partly visible when their center is lower.

From 40°N: 25 constellations

From 35°S: 39 constellations

Meteor showers peaking in April

Rates are the zenithal hourly rate, the count one observer would see under a dark sky with the radiant overhead; real counts are lower. Peak dates move by about a day from year to year.

ShowerPeakActiveRate per hourRadiantParent body
April LyridsApr 22Apr 14 - Apr 3018LyraC/1861 G1 (Thatcher)
pi PuppidsApr 24Apr 15 - Apr 28Puppis26P/Grigg-Skjellerup

Video: April stargazing

April Stargazing: Constellations & Meteor Showers · Watch on YouTube

Constellations month by month

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