On Tuesday you’ll be spotting something rather special in the night sky.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Pink Moon…
What is it?
Simply put, it’s the full moon in April – but it represents something far bigger than that.
It’s seen as a special full moon because it signifies something special to a number of different cultures and religions in the world.
For Christians it is important as Easter follows on the first Sunday after the full moon – this year on April 16.
Meanwhile in the Hindu religion it marks the start of the Hanuman Jayanti festival, and in Judaism it marks the beginning of Jewish Passover.
Why is it called the Pink Moon?
So it’s not really going to look very pink. It’s actually named after flowers from North America which bloom in early spring – the pink wild ground phlox – and was given the name Pink Moon by Native Americans.
The April full moon does have other names in other parts of the world, including the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon and the Fish Moon.
How can I see it?
On April 11 – look up.
Just kidding, we’ll do better than that. The graphic below shows the rough time at which the pink moon will become visible – just follow the slanted lines on the graph from where you live to find out the time for your area.
So, you’re all set. Get those eyes peeled, pop on your moon-watching gear and enjoy that lunar loveliness…
