A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket flies by the pink moon after launching from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 12. The pink moon is expected to peak Wednesday this year. File Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
The first night of April will be lit up by the full pink moon, though the moon itself will not appear pink as it rises.
Peak illumination occurs at 10:11 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, offering skywatchers a bright start to the new month.
Despite its colorful name, the pink moon is tied to seasonal changes rather than its appearance. “This Moon heralded the appearance of the ‘moss pink’ (Phlox subulata), also called wild ground phlox or creeping phlox-one of the first spring wildflowers,” the Old Farmer’s Almanac explains.
The timing this year is perfect, with cherry blossoms at peak bloom turning the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., pink.
The full moon also carries different names across cultures. Anglo-Saxons referred to it as the Egg Moon, a nod to the spring season and themes of renewal that later became associated with Easter traditions.
This April full moon plays a key role in the calendar as well. Easter is observed on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox, making this lunar phase an important marker each year.
A clear sky will offer the best viewing conditions, especially shortly after moonrise when the moon appears largest near the horizon.
Moon turns red during total lunar eclipse
A full blood moon sits behind the Manhattan skyline during a total lunar eclipse on November 8, 2022. A total lunar eclipse occurs about every 1 1/2 years on average. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
