The full Pink Moon is the first full moon of spring; it determines the date of Easter, and what's unique about this year is it's a micromoon!

Wait, is the Moon Really Pink?

Each full moon of the year has a different nickname, and the full moon that falls in  April is known as the Pink Moon.  Unfortunately, "Pink Moon" is just the name of the moon and not the actual color the moon with be shining. According to Almanac, this time of year, everything is in bloom and, well, pink so that's how the April moon got this nickname.

Although we wish the name “Pink Moon” had to do with the color of the Moon, the reality is not quite as mystical or awe-inspiring. In truth, April’s full Moon often corresponded with the early springtime blooms of a certain wildflower native to eastern North America: Phlox subulata—commonly called creeping phlox or moss phlox—which also went by the name “moss pink.”

Thanks to this seasonal association, this full Moon came to be called the “Pink” Moon!

The Full Pink Micromoon

One of the unique things about the first full moon of spring is that it decides when the Easter holiday will fall (more on that in a second).  This year the first full moon of spring is extra special because it's a micromoon.   A micromoon is when the moon is at it's furthest point in orbit away from us, so it appears smaller in the sky.  Time and Date explains:

The Moon orbits Earth in an elliptical path, which means one side of the path is closer to the Earth than the other.

The point in the Moon’s orbit closest to Earth is called perigee, while the point in the orbit farthest from Earth is known as apogee. The average distance between Earth and the Moon is 382,500 kilometers or 237,700 miles.

A supermoon is the exact opposite, a supermoon occurs went he moon is at it's closest orbit to Earth so it appears bigger than usual.  According to Almanac, the full Pink Moon will happen on April 12th at 7:22 PM CDT.

How Does the Moon Decide When Easter Is?

One thing I think is extra interesting about the first full moon of spring is that this moon will decide the date of Easter. Almanac explains that the first full moon after the spring equinox is referred to as the Paschal Full Moon; this year, the Pink Moon is also the Paschal Full Moon.

Get our free mobile app

Easter Sunday always occurs on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. What is the Paschal Full Moon? This is specifically the first Sunday following the full Moon that occurs on or after the March or spring equinox. - Almanac  

This is why some people say that Easter is "falling late" this year. Each year, the date of Easter changes, and it all has to do with the seasons and the moon. It's pretty fascinating, and you can read all about it from Almanac, here.