Pink Moon 2027: Meaning and Dates
The April full moon
Not pink at all: named for the early spring wildflower Phlox subulata, the moss pink, one of the first to bloom in April.
Next Pink Moon (showing UTC)
- Distance
- 383,426 km
- Type
- Average
- Details
- April 2027
Origin of the name
Not pink at all: named for the early spring wildflower Phlox subulata, the moss pink, one of the first to bloom in April.
Other names are the Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon and, for coastal tribes, the Fish Moon when shad swam upstream to spawn. In many years the Pink Moon is the Paschal Moon, the first full moon after the March equinox that fixes Easter.
Viewing tips
The moon can look reddish near the horizon on any night because of atmospheric scattering, not because of the name.
Lore and folklore
The moss pink, Phlox subulata, carpets the ground in early spring, and the April moon took its colour. Coastal tribes called it the Fish Moon for the shad run; farmers called it the Egg Moon for the laying season. It was thought a good moon for planting anything that grows above ground.
Trivia
- The Pink Moon is often the Paschal Moon that sets the date of Easter.
- In 2020 the Pink Moon was the closest supermoon of the year.
- Despite the name, the Moon looks pink only when low in hazy or smoky air.