Pink Moon: What it means and how you can see it

The Pink Moon, this month's full moon, will be closest to the bright star Spica on Thursday, April 6, 2023. On Wednesday and Friday, the moon will be brilliant and full.

What does the Pink Moon mean?

The full moon in April is known as the Pink Moon after the pink phlox wildflowers, which are native to North America and frequently bloom in April, according to Timeanddate.com. 

The full moon in April may also be referred to as the Breaking Ice Moon, Budding Moon, Awakening Moon, or Egg Moon. According to the Institute for Native American Studies, Many Anishinaabeg, or Ojibwe, Indigenous people of the Great Lakes region know it as Popogami Giizis or Broken Snowshoe Moon.

The full moon of this month is often referred to as the Pesach or Passover Moon and the Paschal Moon because of its connections to religious celebrations. The Jewish holiday of Pesach, also known as Passover, starts at dusk on April 5 and lasts until dark on April 13 in 2023. 

As Easter is observed on the first Sunday following the first full moon of spring, the date of the Paschal Moon serves as the basis for calculating the date of Easter. The Sunday following the Pink Moon, April 9, 2023, will be Easter in Western Christianity. Eastern Orthodox Easter will take place on Sunday, April 16, a week later, according to NASA.

This full moon coincides with the Hanuman Jayanti holiday in the Hindu lunisolar calendar, whereas Bak Poya is celebrated by Sri Lankan Buddhists.

On Thursday, April 6, the full moon will rise in the east just after dusk, making it the best time to view it. Find a spot with a low view of the eastern horizon and check the moonrise and moonset times for your area.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will take place on May 5 following the Pink Moon. A penumbral lunar eclipse will be caused when this Flower Moon, also known as the Corn Planting Moon and the Milk Moon, enters Earth's outer shadow in orbit.