April’s full moon is less than a week away, lighting up the night sky on April 12 and although it’s not a supermoon — in fact, it’s the opposite, a micromoon — it’ll be worth looking skyward for, especially as it heralds the start of cool astronomical phenomena to come later this year, from meteor showers to eclipses.
What is a micromoon?
A micromoon occurs when apogee, that is to say, the moon’s is farthest point from Earth in a month, coincides with the new or full phase of the moon. As you may gather, where supermoons appear slightly larger and brighter, micromoons look a bit smaller than normal.
Why “Pink Moon”?
Rather than its own hue, the Pink Moon’s name comes from the bright pink phlox wildflowers that bloom around this time of year in eastern North America. It is also known as the Paschal Moon, due to its association with Easter — “paschal” comes from the Aramaic word for Passover — and it’s used to calculate the date of Easter each year, which will be April 20 in 2025.
It is also known by other names, such as Breaking Ice Moon, which is thought to be Native American and refers to the changing of the seasons and the start of the spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Different European groups also highlighted its role as an usher of new life, with names like Budding Moon and Awakening Moon. Finally, in another Easter-y reference, the Anglo-Saxons called it Egg Moon, which may be behind the modern concept of Easter eggs.
When to see the Pink Moon
The Pink Moon will light up the skies in Australia the night of April 12, with its peak illumination set to occur just as the sky turns dark, but any time during that night will allow you to bask in its beams, no equipment needed. You can check moonrise and moonset times for Brisbane here.
Where to see the Pink Moon?
Although the micromoon will appear slightly smaller, it shouldn’t make too much of a difference and you should be able to see it from almost anywhere, but it might be a bit trickier than usual if it’s cloudy.
And, of course, if you’re looking for the best viewing experience, we recommend heading out to a dark, clear location like the Mt Coot-tha Summit Lookout — although the light pollution coming from the city might make it a bit difficult — or, if you don’t mind a bit of a longer drive, places like Wild Horse Mountain and Lake Moogerah offer expansive views of the night sky.
When are the next supermoons?
The Pink Moon will have to tide you over until this year’s supermoons, which will rise on the following dates:
- October 7 — Hunter’s Moon
- November 5 — Beaver Moon
- December 4 — Cold Moon