April’s full moon, also known as the Pink Moon, will rise tonight (April 5) and will be visible in all its glory throughout the night. Around the world, the pink moon rises at dusk and sets at dawn, meaning it’s visible for most of the night.
In the Sky gives specific times when skywatchers can see the full moon before setting at 06:49 EDT Thursday, rising at 19:01 EDT (2301 GMT) and peaking at 00:34 EDT (0434 GMT) on Wednesday. (1049 GMT). If clouds spoil your view, you can watch the full pink moon of April 2023 live online here, Courtesy of the Virtual Telescope Project (opens in new tab) Cecano, in Italy, begins April 6 at 1:30 am EDT (0530 GMT)..
When the Moon is fully illuminated following the Pink Moon Full Moon phase, the part of the Moon’s face illuminated by the Sun begins to recede, a process called “waning” by astronomers. This will lead to the next full dark moon or new moon phase on April 20 Time and date. This point marks the beginning of the next lunar cycle and the point at which the Sun’s light begins to creep back onto the face of the Moon, this growing light is called “growth”.
Related: The night sky, April 2023: What you can see tonight
Leading up to the new moon, this eclipse isn’t the only change to the moon. After the Pink Moon and after April 6, the Moon will rise an hour later each day, and the Moon will be dominant on each subsequent night. When it is half-illuminated, it will rise at midnight and set at midnight on the last quarter of April 13. Then, during the new moon phase, it will rise and set at about the same time the sunThat means there is no moon at night.
During a pink moon the moon is not actually pink
While sky watchers will be given an incredible opportunity to witness the beauty of a fully lit moon during a pink moon, a full moon lit up in pink is a sight they may not get a chance to see.
This is because, according to Farmer’s Almanac, the Pink Moon moniker is purely figurative in nature. The name actually indicates that April’s full moon is associated with the spring blooming of the pink wildflower. Phlox is subdued, Also traditionally known as “algae pink”. April’s Pink Moon takes its name from this springtime association, which like many others originated in Native American culture Full moon names.
Alternate April full moon names have strong seasonal associations. The Tlingit and Oglala people refer to this full moon as the “Blooming Moon of Plants and Shrubs” and the “Moon of Red Grass,” respectively, names that also refer to the flowering of plant life. Other seasonal names refer to other springtime events that would have been significant to Native Americans, such as increased movement, such as the melting of winter ice. The Algonquin people refer to April’s full moon as the “Breaking Ice Moon” and Dakota tradition names it the “Moon Where Streams Can Go Again.”
If you’re hoping to see this pink moon, here are our guides Best binoculars And Best binoculars A great place to start. If you want to take photos of the night sky in general, check out our guide How to photograph the moonAs well as ours The best cameras for astrophotography And Best lenses for astrophotography.
Want to take a more in-depth moonlight tour of our Rocky companion? our The ultimate guide to observing the moon It can help you plan your next sky-gazing venture, whether it’s exploring lunar seas, mountainous terrain, or the many craters that shroud the landscape. You can also see where astronauts, rovers and landers have gone with us A Guide to Observing the Apollo Landing Sites.
Editor’s Note: If you’ve taken a picture of the Pink Moon and want to share it with Space.com’s readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to [email protected].
