This spring’s first full moon, known as the “pink moon,” made its appearance in the sky on Wednesday (April 1) as scheduled. This full moon attracted extra attention not only for being a romantic astronomical event but also because it coincides with the calculation of the Easter date and marks an important milestone in human space exploration.
According to media reports, the “pink moon” reached its peak at 10:11 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday. Despite its name, the “pink moon” does not actually appear pink but instead emits a soft silvery-gray glow as usual.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac points out that this poetic name originates from the early spring blooming of the pink wildflowers called Phlox subulata. These pink flowers, native to the eastern US, typically bloom around the full moon in April.
Due to the combined effects of the moon’s orbit and the Earth’s axial tilt, the April full moon hangs low near the horizon. This effect is particularly pronounced in higher latitudes. With the moon positioned lower in the sky and aligned with trees or buildings on the ground, it appears rounder and brighter than usual, displaying colors ranging from white to pale yellow or orange.
This month’s full moon is also used to determine the date of Easter. In Christian tradition, the first full moon after the spring equinox is known as the “Easter full moon,” with Easter Sunday falling on the first Sunday after the “Easter full moon.”
What’s even more special is that this full moon coincides with the launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission. The timing of this event has excited numerous astronomy enthusiasts.
On Wednesday evening, with a thunderous roar, the Artemis II mission rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying four astronauts into space for a 10-day lunar orbit mission. This marks the first return to the vicinity of the moon by humans in over fifty years since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.