Celebrate Spring With The Pink Moon

The next full moon rises on the night of 23 April in the UK and is called the Pink Moon. Unfortunately if the sky is cloudy it will be marred from view, but don't fear as the moon will appear in the sky for a few days. The full moon occurs when it is exactly on the opposite side of the earth from the sun and will appear full for two to three nights.

Regardless of its name April's full moon will not actually appear pink. The moon never truly changes its colour and whatever shift of hue is visible at night is caused by atmospheric effects.

Why called the Pink Moon?

April's full moon is called the pink moon heralding the appearance of the 'moss pink' or wild ground phlox - one of the first spring wild flowers which turn the meadows pink. Spiritually the pink moon always signifies renewal and rebirth.

Other names for April’s full moon include the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon and the Fish Moon.

Full moons in 2024

Wolf Moon - 25 January
Snow Moon - 24 February
Worm Moon - 25 March
Pink Moon - 23 April
Flower Moon - 23 May
Strawberry Moon - 22 June
Buck Moon - 21 July
Sturgeon Moon - 19 August (Blue Moon)
Harvest Moon - 18 September (supermoon)
Hunter’s Moon - 17 October
Beaver Moon - 15 November
Cold Moon - 15 December

Why the Paschal full moon?

The Paschal full moon is the first full moon after the spring equinox and determines the date of Easter. This full moon can sometimes be in March or April. Easter in 2024 was celebrated on Sunday 31 March.

‘Paschal’ comes from Pascha, the Greek and Latin word for Passover.

In 2024 Easter and Passover are on different dates. Easter is calculated based on the Christian liturgical calendar tied to the first Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Passover, on the other hand, is determined by the Jewish calendar, which is also lunar-based.

Passover always begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan. Since the Hebrew calendar is largely lunar-based, Passover is celebrated in 2024 on Monday, April 22. That's the date of the fourth full moon of the year, the Pink Moon. The Sunday after Passover is May 5.

Moon facts and folklore

A full moon in April can bring frost. If the moon rises pale then expect rain.
The moon's diameter is 2,160 miles
The sun and moon are not the same size
The moon is a lot smaller than the sun
The moon's surface is dark
The moon has quakes
There is water on the moon
The moon has a very thin atmosphere
A person would weigh less on the moon
The dark side of the moon is a myth
We only see the near side of the moon, the other side is the far side
Earth's moon is only place beyond earth where humans have set foot. 12 people have been on the moon.

How did the moon names originate?

Every month of the year there is a full moon which is given a different name.

Many of these ancient moon names have been given based on the behaviour of the plants, animals, or weather during that month.

It is said that they were the names given by Native American tribes and included into our modern calendar. However the full moon names we now use also have Anglo-Saxon and Germanic roots.



Why a full moon?

Full moons occur every 29.5 days or so as the moon moves to the side of Earth directly opposite the sun, reflecting the sun's rays off its full face and appearing as a brilliant, perfectly circular disk.

A full moon occurs when the moon's earth-facing side is completely illuminated by the sun. Scientists say that when you see the moon looking really large as it rises in the sky your brain is actually playing a trick on you.

There are many reasons as to why this is, but the main theory is that when the moon is low on the horizon it can be compared to earthly things, like buildings and trees, and this is why it seems huge.