ASTRONOMY
Every year in April we pass through the annual meteor shower known as the Lyrids. This year, the Lyrids peak on April 21 to 22, overlapping with the Eta Aquariids meteor shower which begins in late April and peaks in early May. Although not the most prolific shower, the Lyrids are known for producing periodic fireballs, especially bright and dazzling meteors. Given the moon phase, however, the Aquariids may be provide better visuals this year, since the moon will be waning as they are ramping up. Meteor showers are named for their radiant points. For the Lyrids, this is the constellation Lyra, the Harp, with Vega as its brightest star. For the Aquariids it is the constellation Aquarius. For both meteor showers, the best time for viewing will be in the hours between midnight and dawn. If you find yourself outside in the pre-sunrise hours, look for Venus, who has made her debut in the morning sky after being invisible for approximately 40 nights. Mercury and Saturn are also visible in the morning sky this month, though spotting them will be challenging. The best time to see Saturn will be April 23, when its proximity to Venus will make it easier to spot. Happy viewing!
ASTROLOGY
In the wake of the final Aries eclipse, we have Neptune’s ingress into the Cardinal Fire sign. Neptune changes signs only once every 14 years or so, making this one of the most significant astrological events of the year. Neptune and Aries aren’t exactly of similar dispositions. Aries is fiery, active, and direct. Neptune is dreamy, mystical, and meandering. This imaginative planet in this impulsive sign has the potential to kindle our spiritual aspirations, to ignite and inspire our spiritual practice. But in its lower manifestation, Neptune is also the planet of escapism and delusion. Charged by the energy of Aries, there is the danger of slipping into addictive compulsions, or falling prey to or modeling ourselves after the harmful archetype of the charismatic guru. However, throughout this period the channel between the mystical and the material is enlivened. We can harness this energy to give birth to our dreams, and if we pay attention, we may in fact find that our earthly goals have been guided by them all along.
