Overview
- Comet C/2026 A1 MAPS is expected to climb high at dusk April 5–8, with the best view toward the southwest after sunset.
- Scientists caution the sun‑grazer could wow or vanish because close solar passes can brighten a comet or break it apart.
- NASA is preparing the Artemis II crew for an early‑April launch window on a 10‑day figure‑eight flight test around Earth and the Moon with livestreams on NASA+.
- The Lyrid meteor shower runs April 14–30 and is set to peak April 21–22 with about 15–20 meteors per hour under dark skies after 10 p.m.
- Mercury gets a rare, easy view in early April when it sits far enough from the Sun’s glare to spot low in the eastern sky before sunrise.