We rely on the night. The preservation of the night, more than ever, relies on us.
When the sun sets, the light of our star, the sun, disappears and we see through the veil of gases – that have become invisible. We see into the universe, into outer space.
Seasonal holidays bring families and friends together in celebration of our relationships with each other and, especially spring holidays, are humanity’s deeply rooted responses to the sun, moon, stars, and Earth’s living world.
“Eyes to the Sky” comes to you as the Full Pink Moon, the first full moon after the vernal equinox, rises tonight, April 12, at 7:31 p.m. Luna will not be pink, rather, it is named for the month’s blossoms. Now orbiting at its furthest distance from Earth, the moon might not appear dramatically smaller, although it is known as a “micromoon.” We are likely to notice that the landscape is not as bright as under a usual or super full moon. An intriguing pairing, bright, bluish star Spica travels very close to the moon tonight.
The Jewish holiday of Passover is traditionally set to begin on the first full moon after the spring equinox. Nonetheless, the date of Passover can be adjusted according to requirements of the Hebrew calendar. This year, Passover begins before sundown today, April 12, and concludes after nightfall on the 20th.
The calendar date for Easter is usually the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. But the timing of Easter is, like Passover, also subject to historically set influences. This year, Easter Sunday is April 20. For enlightening details, please refer to this article titled “Easter and the Pascal Full Moon,” as well as the link, above, in the discussion of Passover.
Contemporary spring observances have been added to those with ancient origins. The 20th century birthed the first compelling international outpouring of support for caring for our planet, observed as Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Here is the link to the Earth Day 2025 website. Let’s participate as family and friends on, and before, as well as after April 22, dedicated to Earth Day Everyday.
The 21st century’s breakthrough initiative for the care of Earth’s skies, International Dark Sky Week—celebrated this year from April 21 through 28—focuses attention and calls human communities to action to reconnect with the night and protect its natural beauty.
… our viewing of the wonders of a natural dark night sky is limited by excessive outdoor lighting. Many are also aware of some of the environmental harm of light pollution as well. What is less well-known is the adverse human health effects of severe light pollution, yet that is one of the more compelling reasons to bring light pollution under control.
— Mario Motta, M.D., F.A.C.C.
Find Dr. Motta’s short article, “We Are All Healthier Under a Starry Sky,” in the March issue of Reflector, the Astronomical League Magazine. Scroll down to pages eight and nine. Link to the full article in the American Medical Association Journal.
For outdoor lighting, replace white bulbs with the yellow bulbs and exert control of the switch!
Earth Day every day! Every week Dark Sky Week!
Upcoming events and additional dark sky resources
Tomorrow, Sunday, April 13, Berkshire Botanical Garden is partnering with the Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF) to present the 2025 Solar Film Forum at BBG. Find details about the engaging lineup for the day here.
Berkshire Botanical Garden grounds open May 1 through October 31, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
April 26, dusk. Raindate April 27: Stargazing on Baldwin Hill with Rick Costello and Judy Isacoff. Details to follow in The Berkshire Edge calendar.
“Lights Out,” National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian light pollution exhibit open until December 2025. Day and night. Sun and stars. Light and dark. For billions of years, life on Earth has danced to this cycle. But light pollution from artificial lights has made our nights brighter, affecting natural ecosystems and human cultures. Yet there is hope—there are simple things we can do to reclaim the stars. Come explore the night sky—it is not as dark as you think.
“Everything Light Touches” — The Owens laboratory at Rowland Institute at Harvard studies how organisms and ecosystems cope with anthropogenic light pollution. “We are hiring!”
