This is the Saint Louis Science Center’s NIGHT SKY UPDATE for the week of Sunday, April 24, 2026
Information updated weekly or as needed.
Times given as local St. Louis time this week will be in Central Daylight Time (CDT). For definitions of terminology used in the night sky update, click the highlighted text. If relying on times posted in Universal Time (UT), St. Louis is -5 hours when CDT. Times posted in the Night Sky Update are in the 24-hour format.
Join us for our next star party, Friday, May 1, 2026, held in association with the St. Louis Astronomical Society. For details, see the information at the bottom of this page or visit https://www.slsc.org/explore/mcdonnell-planetarium/public-telescope-viewings/
Observing Highlight: Lyrid Meteor Shower
On April 25/26, 2026, the Moon will occult the bright star Regulus. The Moon will be found in the southern sky around 7 pm. From St. Louis, most viewers will only be able to see Regulus reappear from behind the Moon around 8:17 pm. Simulated views of the Moon created using Stellarium.
This week, most of the US will be treated to an occultation of the bright star Regulus by the Moon on April 25, 2026. Occultations are a type of syzygy that occur when one astronomical body passes in front of another. In this case the Moon will pass in front of Regulus obscuring it from view for about an hour if viewing from St. Louis. The length of the occultation is dependent on your location.
Regulus is one of four 1st magnitude stars that can be occulted by the Moon owing to their location near the ecliptic. The other three are Antares, Spica and Aldebaran. Each of these stars exhibits an occultation season. Regulus’ current season started in July 2025 and will end in December 2026. After a Regulus season ends, it will be another 8 to 9 years until the next one. For US observers the next lunar occultation of Regulus occurs on June 27, 2036.
Unfortunately, the occultation starts before the Sun sets for St. Louis observers. First contact occurs around 19:05 CDT. It may be possible to see Regulus at this time if you are viewing the western limb of the Moon through a telescope. The occultation will be fully underway by 19:07 CDT. Regulus will start to reappear by 20:17 CDT and the occultation ends by 20:18 CDT.
On April 25, 2026, the Moon will be exhibiting a waxing gibbous phase with about 70.5% disk illumination. If you are able to see Regulus as the occultation begins, it will look like the star disappeared behind empty sky. This will happen because the western limb of the Moon is still in lunar night.
If you are using a binocular or a telescope to view the occultation, there will be several lunar features of note. A few to consider for binoculars are maria such as Mare Serenitatis and Tranquillitatis. Additionally, the eastern edge of Mare Imbrium will be in view which is marked by Montes Apenninus and Montes Alpes. Scanning the southern terminator with a telescope, you will find craters Tycho and Clavius with the later straddling the terminator. A basic map of the lunar surface will help you identify these features and many others.
If you are not viewing from St. Louis, I would recommend visiting www.in-the-sky.org and searching for this event. Once you have found the occultation for April 25/26, 2026, you can set your viewing location to find local timings. You can also find more information on this occultation at Sky and Telescope.
T CrB Nova Update 4/24/2026
f you are still interested in seeing the recurrent nova T Coronae Borealis, there is still hope. The nova has not yet occurred meaning we are in a waiting game. If you are still interested, the part of the sky the nova will appear in is found rising in the east by 10 pm. The star system T Coronae Borealis is found in the constellation Corona Borealis which looks like a small U-shape of stars next to the constellation Boötes.
By 3 am the location of T CrB will be nearly overhead. Besides observing the sky directly, you can track the behavior of T CrB by checking current magnitude estimates posted at AAVSO here or by visiting spaceweather.com. Current magnitude estimates of the system show it at 10th magnitude.
The Sun and Moon
Sun
Sunrise on Friday, April 24 is at 06:12 and sunset is at 19:46 providing over 13.5 hours of daylight. Even after sunset, light from the Sun will dimly illuminate our sky for about 1 hour and 40 minutes. This period is called twilight, which ends around 21:25 this week. For those with a sundial, local noon occurs around 12:59 on April 24, 2026.
| Day | Sunrise (CDT) | Sunset (CDT) |
| 24-Apr | 6:12 | 19:46 |
| 25-Apr | 6:11 | 19:47 |
| 26-Apr | 6:09 | 19:48 |
| 27-Apr | 6:08 | 19:49 |
| 28-Apr | 6:07 | 19:50 |
| 29-Apr | 6:06 | 19:51 |
| 30-Apr | 6:04 | 19:52 |
| 01-May | 6:03 | 19:53 |
| 02-May | 6:02 | 19:54 |
Moon
Moonrise for Friday, April 24, is at 12:49 and moonset occurs at 03:14 the following morning. On April 24, 2026, the Moon will exhibit a waxing gibbous phase with 58% disk illumination. By May 2, 2026, the Moon will exhibit a waning gibbous phase with 99% disk illumination. Full moon occurs on May 1, 2026, at 12:23. This is the first of two full moons in May with the second full moon occurring on May 30, 2026. When there are two full moons in one month, the second is called a “Blue Moon.”
International Space Station (ISS) Observing
Visible passes of ISS from St. Louis for the week of April 24 occur during morning hours with the best passes occurring on April 25 and 26. You can find information about these and other satellite pass at https://heavens-above.com. If you are not viewing from the St. Louis area, make sure to change your viewing location for your local times.
Visible Planets
View looking southwest on April 24,2026, at 20:15. Image created using Stellarium
Two naked eye planets will be visible this week. Jupiter will be found in the west and Venus low in the west after sunset. Mars and Saturn are starting to climb out of the glare of the Sun before sunrise. By May, we should start seeing them in the east before sunrise.
Venus
Venus can now be seen low in the west after sunset. Its current evening apparition will continue until October as it approach inferior conjunction on October 23, 2026. Venus sets by 21:54.
Jupiter
Jupiter will be visible in the west about 30 minutes after sunset, Jupiter remains visible a little after midnight. Much later than this, Jupiter will appear too low in altitude making it difficult to find for some viewers. Jupiter’s current apparition continues through June and some of July as it heads towards superior conjunction on July 29, 2026.
Our next Star Party will be held on Friday, May 1, 2026 from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm.
On the first Friday of each month, the St. Louis Astronomical Society and the Saint Louis Science Center will set up a number of telescopes outdoors and be on hand to answer your questions. Telescope viewing begins once it is dark.
The St. Louis Astronomical Society helps host the monthly Star Parties at the Saint Louis Science Center. In addition to our nighttime viewings, they also help facilitate our daytime event called Solar Sundays. These daytime viewing sessions occur every Sunday through Labor Day. After Labor Day they occur on the 3rd Sunday each month. Visit SLAS’s website linked above to learn about other telescope events SLAS hosts around the St. Louis area.
James S. McDonnell Planetarium
Night Sky Update for April 24, 2026
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