1
00:00:00,033 --> 00:00:02,302
[Chelsea Gohd] Mercury
shines extra bright, 

2
00:00:02,302 --> 00:00:04,504
the Lyrid meteor shower peaks,

3
00:00:04,504 --> 00:00:06,690
and a comet soars into view.

4
00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:09,442
That's What's Up this April.

5
00:00:09,442 --> 00:00:13,847
On April 3rd, Mercury will be
at its most visible all year.

6
00:00:14,330 --> 00:00:15,231
On this date,

7
00:00:15,231 --> 00:00:17,967
the planet will be at its
greatest elongation,

8
00:00:17,967 --> 00:00:20,336
or its furthest
distance from the Sun,

9
00:00:20,336 --> 00:00:21,955
as we see it from Earth,

10
00:00:21,955 --> 00:00:25,475
making it easier to see
the often hard-to spot-planet.

11
00:00:25,975 --> 00:00:29,913
To find Mercury, look east
before the Sun begins to rise.

12
00:00:30,180 --> 00:00:34,067
The planet will be very low on
the horizon, just above Mars.

13
00:00:35,418 --> 00:00:39,439
The Lyrid meteor shower peaks
April 21st to 22nd.

14
00:00:39,773 --> 00:00:40,890
This meteor shower

15
00:00:40,890 --> 00:00:43,877
comes from debris
left behind by Comet Thatcher.

16
00:00:43,977 --> 00:00:47,397
When this debris hits and
then burns up in our atmosphere,

17
00:00:47,397 --> 00:00:50,400
we see the shooting stars
of a meteor shower.

18
00:00:50,667 --> 00:00:53,103
To experience
the peak of the April Lyrids,

19
00:00:53,103 --> 00:00:56,306
look to the east
starting at around 10 p.m.

20
00:00:56,456 --> 00:01:00,927
on April 21st and through
the night into April 22nd.

21
00:01:01,344 --> 00:01:04,414
The meteor shower takes place
nearby the star Vega,

22
00:01:04,414 --> 00:01:06,499
the fifth brightest star
in the night sky,

23
00:01:06,499 --> 00:01:10,036
which can be found in the
constellation Lyra, the Harp.

24
00:01:11,604 --> 00:01:13,073
April 17th might

25
00:01:13,073 --> 00:01:16,943
be your best chance
to see the Comet C/2025 R3,

26
00:01:17,127 --> 00:01:20,313
which some think could be
the brightest comet of the year.

27
00:01:20,814 --> 00:01:25,268
This comet will make its closest
approach to Earth on April 27th,

28
00:01:25,268 --> 00:01:28,588
coming within 44 million
miles of our planet.

29
00:01:29,089 --> 00:01:30,774
Experts estimate that the comet

30
00:01:30,774 --> 00:01:32,942
will likely reach
magnitude eight,

31
00:01:32,942 --> 00:01:35,445
which means you would
need access to a telescope

32
00:01:35,445 --> 00:01:37,247
or binoculars to see it.

33
00:01:37,430 --> 00:01:39,749
The comet will be visible
in the eastern sky

34
00:01:39,749 --> 00:01:43,253
in the constellations
Pegasus and above Pisces.

35
00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,406
You'll be able to spot the comet
in the predawn hours

36
00:01:46,406 --> 00:01:48,892
from mid-April
through the end of April

37
00:01:48,892 --> 00:01:50,410
in the Northern Hemisphere,

38
00:01:50,410 --> 00:01:52,612
and in the evenings in early May

39
00:01:52,612 --> 00:01:55,014
for viewers
in the Southern Hemisphere.

40
00:01:55,949 --> 00:01:58,218
Here are the
phases of the Moon for April.

41
00:01:59,269 --> 00:02:01,821
You can stay up to
date on all of NASA's missions

42
00:02:01,821 --> 00:02:06,326
exploring the solar system
and beyond, at science.nasa.gov.

43
00:02:06,709 --> 00:02:09,929
I'm Chelsea Gohd from NASA's Jet
Propulsion Laboratory

44
00:02:09,929 --> 00:02:12,398
and that's
What's Up for this month.