April's full moon — named not for its colour but for the pink wild phlox of early spring. Why it isn't actually pink, and how to see it.
The name comes from the wild ground phlox — moss pink — that carpets the ground in pink across eastern North America in early spring. So the Pink Moon marks a flower, not a colour. Other seasonal names include the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and, among coastal tribes, the Fish Moon.
The April full moon is a spring moon, riding at a medium height — lower than the winter moons but higher than summer's. It often appears warm and bright, but no warmer-coloured than usual; the 'pink' is purely a naming tradition, not an optical effect.
Get a closer look
A beginner telescope or good astronomy binoculars bring the Moon's craters and phases into stunning detail.
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