How to catch the full ‘Pink Moon’ in April followed by a ‘Blue Moon’ in May
The April full moon, known as the Pink Moon, is the first full moon of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. It will be at its peak on Wednesday, April 1, but it will also look bright and full on Tuesday and Thursday (March 31 and April 2). However, it will not be until Wednesday that it will appear near the bright star Spica, providing a double observation of the sky.
The Pink Moon of April does not owe its name to its color, which does not change. Instead, the name comes from the pink phlox wildflowers that are native to North America and often bloom in April, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Article continues below
April’s Pink Moon also often plays a role in Western Jewish and Christian traditions. Its appearance marks the start of the Jewish holiday of Pesach (Passover), which this year begins at sunset on April 1, the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan. However, this is only because the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar.
In Christianity, the first full moon of spring is associated with Easter Sunday. According to the US Naval ObservatoryEaster falls on the first Sunday following the first ecclesiastical full moon which occurs on the day of the spring equinox. The equinox was March 20 this year, so with the next full moon on April 1, Easter Sunday will be April 5. Easter in the Eastern Orthodox tradition will take place a week later, on Sunday, April 12.
The best night to view the full moon will be April 1, when it rises in the eastern sky as the sun sets over North America. Check the schedules moonrise and moonset for your locationand find a spot with a view of the low eastern horizon.
You will see Spica, the bright star in the constellation Virgo, under the Pink Moon. The following night, Thursday, April 2, the waning gibbous moon will be just 1.8 degrees from Spica, according to AstroPixels.
After the Pink Moon, the next full moon will be the Flower Moon, also called the Corn Plantation Moon and the Milk Moon, on May 1. This will be the first of two full moons in May, the second being the so-called Blue Moon (the second full moon in a single calendar month) on May 31.
Moon Quiz: What do you know about our closest celestial neighbor?
