The Pink Moon, the fourth full moon of 2024, will rise into the skies this week, shining bright and full from Monday to Wednesday (April 22-24). The moon will be at its fullest on Tuesday (April 23) and will be visible in the constellation Virgo, near Spica, one of the 20 brightest stars in the night sky. It will also appear bright and full on Monday and Wednesday.
This celestial event 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, skywatchers can see the full moon most clearly on Tuesday when it rises in the east very close to sunset. To get a better view, it’s 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 the Breaking Ice Moon, Budding Moon, Awakening Moon, Egg Moon. In Judaism, it’s known as Passover Moon because it marks the first day of Jewish festival Pesach. Another name for April’s full moon is Paschal Moon which is associated with Easter celebrations. This month has many Native American names too such as: Moon of Red Grass Appearing (Oglala), Sprouting Grass Moon (Tlingit), Moon of Blackberry (Choctaw), Flower