This week, the Pink Moon will grace the skies as the fourth full moon of 2024. The celestial body will be at its peak on Tuesday, April 23, and will be visible in the constellation Virgo, near Spica, one of the 20 brightest stars in the night sky. Shining bright and full on Monday and Wednesday as well, the Pink Moon is a must-see for skywatchers across North America.
The best time to catch the Lyrid meteor shower is on April 22 when the moon is at its lowest point just before dawn. However, due to its brightness, it may somewhat outshine the annual display of shooting stars. If you’re in North America, you’ll have an excellent view of the full moon rising in the east very close to sunset on Tuesday. To get a glimpse of this stunning celestial event, find a place with a low view of the eastern horizon and check your moonrise and moonset times for your location.
The Pink Moon has many Native American names associated with it, including Moon of Red Grass Appearing (Oglala), Sprouting Grass Moon (Tlingit), Moon of Blackberry (Choctaw), Flower Moon (Cherokee), and Moon of Big Leaves (Apache). In Judaism, it’s known as the Passover Moon because it marks the beginning of Pesach, Jewish festival celebrating freedom from slavery. Another name for this celestial event is Paschal Moon which is associated with Easter celebrations.
Interestingly, during a rare celestial event witnessed by many North Americans on April 8th during a total solar eclipse when the moon briefly blocked sun causing some surprisingly pink views of its atmosphere during peak time.
