A Rare Pink Micromoon Will Light Up the April Sky—Here's When to See It
Our eyes are always on the stars—both in the world of country music and up in the sky. This month, we have many things to be excited about, from new music from some of our favorite artists to a celestial event worth setting a reminder for. This weekend, we're treated to a special pink full moon, set to light up the sky on Saturday, April 12, and into Sunday, April 13. Read on to find out its significance and when it'll appear in the sky.
The pink full moon is a bit of a misnomer (unfortunately), as it won't actually look like an orb of pretty pink light up in the sky. Instead, the April full moon gets its name from the gorgeous hot pink creeping phlox known to achieve peak bloom this time of year.
Beyond its floral inspiration, April's full moon is also dubbed the Paschal Full Moon, or the first full moon to follow the spring equinox. Every year, Easter falls after the Paschal Full Moon. This year, Easter is on Sunday, April 20.
The April full moon, which officially signifies the start of spring from a lunar stance, has a number of other names, too. As NASA reported, it's also widely known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and the Fish Moon.
According to the US Naval Observatory, the pink full moon will reach peak illumination at 8:22 p.m. ET on April 12. You may notice, however, that it looks smaller and dimmer than your average full moon. That's because, according to Space.com, this year's pink moon is a 'micromoon,' meaning it's farthest from Earth during its orbit.
'The moon does not orbit Earth in a perfect circle but an ellipse, and we call a full moon that happens at or near the moon's farthest point from Earth–the 'apogee'–a micromoon,' Catherine Muller, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, told Country Living UK.
According to beloved mystic Bri Luna (AKA The Hoodwitch), the pink full moon in Libra may bring a wave of emotions with it. 'This lunation squares the action planet Mars, which is in Cancer,' she shared on Instagram. 'We'll be more apt to take on matters of importance and make an effort to work on how we can transform partnerships. This is when we can fulfill our greatest expectations and set ourselves up for success. Think of the desires of what you want to add to your life. Then, ask the universe for it.'
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