Stargazers are in for a treat in April, with views of everything from the Pink Moon to the Lyrid meteor shower.

Here is what you can see in the night sky this month.

The moon

Phases for April are as follows:

  • First quarter - March 29
  • Pink full Moon - April 6
    • Last quarter - April 13
    • New moon - April 20
    • First quarter - April 27

The Pink Moon gets its name not from its colour but by coordinating with the flowers blooming for spring. Other common names are the Frog Moon and the Sugar Maker Moon.

This month's full moon is also the Paschal Moon, the first full moon of spring which determines the date of Easter.

The planets

Mercury will meet its greatest eastern elongation from the sun on April 11 and have a close meeting with the moon on April 20.

Venus, setting a few hours after sunset, will be most visible. It will be above the moon on April 22 and below it on April 24.

READ MORE: Norfolk holiday spot named among best places for stargazing in UK

Mars will be just visible below the moon on April 25 and will not set until after midnight.

Meteor showers

Lyrid 

Active between April 14 and April 30, this shower will peak on April 22 and April 23.

This shower is associated with Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, being debris from the comet

It will be most visible in the very early hours of April 22 with the new moon.

During the peak, there will be around 18 meteors per hour, characterised by fast meteors with some trains.

Some meteors can be brighter, known as 'Lyrid fireballs'.

Eta Aquariids

Active between April 19 and May 28, this shower will peak on May 6.

This shower is associated with Halley's Comet, being debris from the comet.

During the peak, there will be around 55 meteors per hour, characterised by being low in the sky.