Why is it called the Pink Moon?

The name ‘pink moon’ doesn’t come from the colour of the moon but rather the time of year that it appears, as Metro reported.

It’s known as the Pink Moon as it’s the first full moon of spring and the name derives from a pink flower called phlox subulata that blooms in spring in North America.

It’s been referred to by several other names in other countries – who have called it the Fish Moon, the Sprouting Grass Moon and the Egg Moon.

While the moon itself won’t actually be pink, you might notice a slight change in its colour depending on where you are in the country – with the change in shade more noticeable the further north you are.

Pink moss phlox, or “moss pink,” lends its nickname to the April Moon. Photo: almanac.com.

A moon with many names

This weekend’s moon is also the Paschal full moon for the Christian ecclesiastical calendar, or the moon cycle that determines when Easter will fall each year, fox13news reported.

According to NASA, Paschal is a Latin version of the word Pesach, better known as Passover, a major Jewish holiday. This weekend’s moon - a moon with many names - is known as the Pesach full moon on the Jewish calendar to mark the start of Passover at sundown Friday, April 15.

For the Christian calendar, Easter falls on the first Sunday following the first spring full moon, or the first full moon to rise after the spring (vernal) equinox. This year it’s April 17th, but Easter can be as early as March 22 or as late as April 25 every year, depending on lunar cycles.

In Hinduism, this full moon is tied to Hanuman Jayanti, the celebration of the birth of Lord Hanuman.

For Buddhists, especially in Sri Lanka, NASA says this full moon is known as Bak Poya, to commemorate when the Buddha visited Sri Lanka and helped settle a dispute to avoid war.

A full moon is visible over Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park in Santa Clarita, California in 2021. (Image credit: NASA/Preston Dyches)

The Native American names refer to the spring thaw and the signs of new growth each year—including names like the Breaking Ice Moon and The Moon of the Red Grass Appearing, timeanddate.com reported.

Common names in Europe also refer to the budding and birth of spring: with grass sprouting, birds laying eggs, and people planting seeds. The Celts had names like Budding Moon, New Shoots Moon, Seed Moon, and Growing Moon. A Neo-Pagan name is Awakening Moon.

The Anglo-Saxons called it Egg Moon, which is often referenced as a possible reason for the emergence of the modern Easter Bunny laying Easter eggs.

Moon Phases for April 2022/2023

Pink Moon 2022: 17 Apr 2022, 01:55

Pink Moon 2023: 6 Apr 2023, 11:34

Times for the Pink Moon vary by time zone.

Photo: almanac.com.

April Moon Facts and Folklore

On April 20, 1972, the lunar module of Apollo XVI landed on the moon with astronauts John Young and Charles Duke aboard. Thomas Mattingly remained in orbit around the moon aboard the command module, as almanac.com reported.

One day later, on April 21, 1972, Apollo XVI astronauts John Young and Charles Duke drove an electric car on the surface of the moon. It’s still up there along with some expensive tools and some film that they forgot.

According to folklore, the period from the full Moon through the last quarter of the Moon is the best time for killing weeds, thinning, pruning, mowing, cutting timber, and planting below-ground crops.

Unlike the last two years, this April's pink moon will not be a supermoon. However, it still comes with its own folklore. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, "A full moon in April brings frost. If the full moon rises pale, expect rain."

"There certainly is a chance of rain or frost this weekend. There is also a chance of neither," said CNN Meteorologist Judson Jones. "But in some areas of the Midwest, people will see some below-average morning temperatures this weekend, which may leave them wishing for a pale moon."

A "super pink moon" shines on Naypyitaw, Myanmar, on April 7, 2020. Photo: Aung Shine Oo/AP.

NEW YORK, USA - APRIL 26: Full moon rises behind Empire State Building during sunset in New York City, United States on April 26, 2021. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

What is the next full moon in 2022?

After the pink moon, there are eight full moon events still to come in 2022, with two of them qualifying as supermoons. Here's a list of the remaining moons for 2022, according to the Farmers' Almanac:

May 16: Flower moon

June 14: Strawberry moon

July 13: Buck moon

August 11: Sturgeon moon

September 10: Harvest moon

October 9: Hunter's moon

November 8: Beaver moon

December 7: Cold moon

While these are the popularized names associated with the monthly full moons, the significance of each one may vary across Native American tribes.

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