What Is A Pink Moon?

Where does the name come from?

Moss pink wildflowers. The Pink Moon takes its name from a pink-flowered ground cover called moss pink, also known as creeping phlox or Phlox subulata. This plant produces vibrant pink blooms across North America in early spring, including April when the Algonquin tribes observed it. The traditional name connects the full moon to one of the first vivid signs of spring after winter's drabness. The flowers' bloom roughly matches the timing of the April full moon, making them natural associates in the seasonal naming tradition.

Is the Moon actually pink?

No. Despite many photographs that may suggest otherwise, the Pink Moon doesn't actually appear pink. The April full moon looks the same gray-white as any other full moon when high in the sky. It can take on warm tones (orange, yellow, even reddish) when it's low on the horizon, just like any full moon. This is due to atmospheric scattering of light, not anything special about April. Photographs showing dramatically pink moons are usually digitally enhanced or using camera filters.

When does it happen?

April each year. The Pink Moon occurs whenever the full moon falls during April. The exact date varies year to year as the lunar cycle isn't tied to calendar months. The Pink Moon is often the Paschal Full Moon, which determines the date of Easter in Western Christianity. Easter falls on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. So the timing of Easter shifts each year, partly based on when April's full moon occurs. The Pink Moon is also occasionally a supermoon.

What other names does it have?

Many. Native American tribes had various names: Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon (referring to spring egg-laying), and Fish Moon (for spring fish runs). Old European traditions sometimes called the April full moon the Paschal Moon when it determines Easter timing. The Anglo-Saxons called it the Egg Moon. Some Native American names emphasize seasonal awakening: Frog Moon (Cree), Breaking Ice Moon (Algonquin), or Moon When Geese Return (Lakota). All these names reflect spring's return and the resumption of natural activity.