On Saturday night, if the clouds cooperate, the full moon will rise over the eastern horizon as it always does. But look a little closer, and you may notice something different. The moon will appear slightly smaller, slightly dimmer. It’s what astronomers call a micromoon — and this one carries the nickname Pink Moon, though it won’t be pink at all.
The phenomenon occurs when the full moon coincides with the point in its orbit farthest from Earth, a spot called the apogee. From that distance — about 252,000 miles away — the moon appears around 14 percent smaller and 30 percent dimmer than when it’s at its closest. Still, to the untrained eye, the change is barely perceptible.
🌕 Want to See It?
- 📅 When: Saturday night, April 13
- ⏰ Peak: 8:22 p.m. Eastern Time
- 🌍 Where: Low on the eastern horizon
- 🔭 What to Expect: A full moon that looks a little smaller and a bit dimmer — but no less majestic.
The Pink Moon, by Many Names
This is the fourth full moon of the year and the first of astronomical spring. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, April’s moon has long been called the Pink Moon in honor of phlox, a mossy groundcover that blooms early and spreads in delicate pastel hues — often pink — across the North American landscape.
That doesn’t mean the moon itself will be pink. The name is seasonal, not a visual cue. In other traditions, it’s been called the Grass Moon or the Egg Moon, marking a time of rebirth and fertility.
This full moon also holds great religious importance in the Western hemisphere. It is known as the Paschal Moon — the moon that determines the date of Easter. According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, “The simple standard definition of Easter is that it is the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox.” Since this full moon arrives after the equinox, Easter Sunday this year will be celebrated on April 20.
What Makes a Moon “Micro”?
The moon’s path is not a perfect circle, but a stretched-out oval. As the moon travels along this elliptical orbit, it moves closer and farther from Earth each month.
When it’s closest, at perigee, we get a supermoon, which can look slightly larger and brighter. When it’s farthest, at apogee, we get the opposite, a micromoon.
This weekend’s micromoon is the second in a trio of such events occurring from March through May. Another one will follow next month. In contrast, a series of three supermoons is on deck for the fall — October, November, and December.
Despite the technical distinctions, your eyes may not easily tell the difference. A full moon close to the horizon can appear deceptively large thanks to an optical illusion — not its actual distance.
For the best view of the Pink Micromoon, experts recommend finding a location with a clear view of the eastern sky. The moon will reach its peak at 8:22 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday, but its brilliance will linger over several nights. Between April 10 and 14, the moon’s surface will remain more than 95 percent illuminated.
Weather permitting, large swaths of the United States — particularly across the South, Southeast, and parts of the West — will enjoy unobstructed skies. But a slow-moving storm could cloud out the Mid-Atlantic and much of the Northeast, and much of Canada may miss out due to overcast skies.
Still, for those with clear weather, it will be a chance to catch a celestial moment — quiet, steady, and ancient. A moon just a little smaller, shining down on a planet that’s always watching.
