The full Pink Moon rises behind the Statue of Liberty in New York City on April 23, 2024. Photo: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
April’s full moon — a micromoon — will be the smallest and faintest of the year when it peaks this Saturday.
The big picture: The Moon, which is known as a Pink Moon, Paschal Moon and Passover Moon, sets the date for Easter.
Zoom in: The Full Pink Moon reaches peak illumination at 8:22pm ET Saturday, according to Almanac.com.
- The Moon will appear 100% full on Saturday and Sunday.
- It will appear 98% full Friday and then on Monday, per the Almanac’s Moon rise and set times webpage, which helps you figure out the times the Moon should be visible near you.
- See NASA’s Daily Moon Guide here.
Will the Moon appear pink?
What we’re watching: The full moon may “look pinkish for a short time, depending on the atmosphere,” Live Science reports.
- Forbes notes that when the Moon rises into the eastern sky during dusk, it “will be bathed in soft hues of orange.”
Between the lines: The name Pink Moon comes from the early spring bloom of a wildflower native to eastern North America — Phlox subulate — a flower often called “moss pink,” Almanac.com says.
What is a micromoon?
A micromoon is defined as a “full moon near apogee,” NASA says.
- Apogee is the most distant point on an elliptical orbit around Earth, per NASA.
- This distance is approximately 251,000 miles away from Earth.
- May’s full moon is also set to be a micromoon.
Yes, but: A micromoon appears smaller and dimmer but the Associated Press reported that the differences may be hard to notice with the naked eye.
- It’s the opposite of a supermoon, where the Moon looks a bit larger and swings closer to Earth.
Easter and Passover tied to April full moon
The intrigue: Easter is celebrated the Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon and Passover always begins on the night of a full moon in accordance with the Jewish calendar, according to NASA.
- Easter is on April 20 this year and the first night of the eight-day holiday of Passover begins Saturday.
- Other names for April’s moon are Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, Fish Moon, the Pesach Moon and the Hanuman Jayanti Festival Moon.
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