This week, the fourth full moon of 2024, known as the Pink Moon, will grace the skies. Shining bright and full from Monday to Wednesday (April 22-24), it will be at its peak on Tuesday (April 23) and visible in the constellation Virgo, near Spica, one of the 20 brightest stars in the night sky. The Pink Moon coincides with the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower, but it may somewhat outshine the annual display of shooting stars.
The best time to catch the shower will be on April 22, when the moon is at its lowest point just before dawn. From North America, the best time to see the full moon is on Tuesday when it rises in the east very close to sunset. It is recommended to check the moonrise and moonset times for your location and find a place with a low view of the eastern horizon.
The Pink Moon gets its name from blooming flowers this time of year and is also known as Breaking Ice Moon, Budding Moon, Awakening Moon, Egg Moon. Other Native American names for April’s full moon include Sprouting Grass Moon (Tlingit), Flower Moon (Cherokee), and Big Leaves Moon (Apache). In Judaism, it is known as Passover Moon because it marks first day of Jewish festival Passover (Pesach). Another name for April’s full moon is Paschal Moon which is associated with Easter celebrations.
In a rare celestial event, many skywatchers in North America also witnessed Pink Moon during a total solar eclipse on April 8 when it briefly blocked sun. The moon offered surprising pink views during peak eclipse period despite its nickname.