April’s full Pink Moon, the first supermoon of the year, reaches its peak Monday
It’s one of the most spectacular lunar events of the year.
It’s one of the most spectacular lunar events of the year.
It’s one of the most spectacular lunar events of the year.
- This year’s full Pink Moon will reach peak illumination at 11:32 p.m. EDT on Monday.
- Its name commemorates the blooming flowers of spring—but it probably won’t actually appear pink.
- April’s full moon is the first of two official supermoons this year.
Stargazers, you’re in luck: After almost a full year of waiting, the first supermoon of 2021 is on the way, and it promises to be just as spectacular as you remember.
The full Pink Moon will reach peak illumination at 11:32 p.m. EDT on Monday, according to NASA, meaning it'll be dark enough to catch the natural phenomenon at its absolute brightest.
To catch the most impressive view of the Pink Moon, though, you should look close to the horizon near sunset. Because this one is a supermoon, it'll look even bigger and brighter as it begins to rise.
"Supermoon" refers to a full moon that occurs when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth, NASA explains. Since there's no exact definition of the term, scientists disagree on whether there are two, three or four in a year—but all can agree that April and May 2021 will have the most powerful ones. (In other words, don’t miss this full moon — it's one of the most spectacular lunar events all year.)
The Pink Moon gets its name from creeping flox, aka moss pink, one of the first blooming flowers of spring, per The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Other names include Frog Moon and Breaking Ice Moon, which the Almanac credits to the Cree and the Algonquin Indigenous tribes, respectively. Unfortunately, the Pink Moon most likely won’t actually look pink (unless it's paired with a glorious sunset) — much like how blue moons don’t appear blue.
The next full moon, the last guaranteed supermoon of 2021, will be the Flower Moon, which rises on Wednesday, May 26.