April’s ‘Pink Moon’ or ‘Micromoon’ rises on Saturday: What it is and is it actually pink?
The April full moon is called the "Pink Moon" not because it actually looks pink (it usually doesn’t).
The full moon of April, occurring on the 12th, is also called a Pink Moon and will be visible according to the varying moonrise and moonset times depending on your location.
The full moon will reach its maximum brightness at 8:22 pm EDT (0022 GMT on April 13), Space.com reported.
Why is April's full moon called a ‘Pink Moon’
The April full moon is called the "Pink Moon" not because it actually looks pink (it usually doesn’t), but because it coincides with the early spring bloom of a wildflower called Phlox subulata, commonly known as moss pink or creeping phlox.
This name comes from Native American, Colonial American, and European traditions, where full moons were often named based on seasonal changes in nature. So, "Pink Moon" is more about the seasonal connection than the moon's actual color.
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Other names for the April full moon are Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, Fish Moon - used by coastal tribes for the time when fish swim upstream to spawn - the Pesach or Passover Moon and even the the Hanuman Jayanti Festival Moon.
While the moon won't appear pink, what makes it distinguishable is that it is the smallest full moon of the year, also known as a "micromoon", according to Space.com.
This is because April's full moon occurs when the Earth's only natural satellite is farthest from Earth in its orbit (known as apogee), making it appear slightly smaller and dimmer than usual, though the difference may be hard to spot with naked eye.
In India, this full Moon corresponds with the Hanuman Jayanti festival, the celebration of the birth of Lord Hanuman.
The last full moon, known as the Blood Moon, lit up the sky on March 14, 2025. Before that, February’s Snow Moon reached its peak on February 12. Up next is the Flower Moon, set to appear on May 12 at 11:56 pm CT.
