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Almanac.com, By The Editors*

April’s full Moon rises on the night of Tuesday, April 7. Traditionally called the Pink Moon, this full Moon will also be a spectacular supermoon! Here’s everything you should know about the Moon this month, including facts, folklore, and Moon phase dates.

WHEN TO SEE THE FULL MOON IN APRIL 2020

Venture outside on the night of Tuesday, April 7, to catch a glimpse of April’s full Pink Moon. This full Moon—which is a supermoon, the first full Moon of spring, and the Paschal Full Moon—will be visible after sunset and reach peak illumination at 10:35 P.M. EDT.

For the best view of this lovely spring Moon, find an open area and watch as the Moon rises just above the horizon, at which point it will appear its biggest and take on a golden hue! (Find local Moon rise and set times here.)

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SUPER PINK MOON: THE BIGGEST AND BRIGHTEST SUPERMOON OF THE YEAR

(Note: Before you get your hopes up, this “Super Pink Moon” won’t actually look “super pink”—or any hue of pink, really. The Moon will be its usual golden color near the horizon and fade to a bright white as it glides overhead. Learn why it’s called the Pink Moon below!)

We’re currently in the midst of a series of supermoons, with the first having occurred on March 9 and the last occurring on May 7. That makes April’s full Moon the second supermoon in this series, but certainly not the one to miss.

Thanks to the fact that April’s full Moon will be closer to Earth than either other supermoon in the series, it will be the biggest and brightest full Moon of 2020!

How big and how bright, exactly? On average, supermoons are about 7% bigger and about 15% brighter than a typical full Moon. However, unless you were to see a regular full Moon and a supermoon side by side in the sky, the difference is very difficult to notice. Learn more about supermoons here!

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The First Full Moon of Spring & the Paschal Full Moon

April’s full Moon is the first to occur after the March equinox, which makes it the first full Moon of spring and the Paschal Full Moon. The Paschal Full Moon is the full Moon that determines the date of Easter. Find out more about Easter and Paschal Full Moon here.

WHY IS IT CALLED THE PINK MOON?

Although we wish this name had to do with the color of the Moon, the reality is not quite as mystical or awe-inspiring. In truth, April’s full Moon often corresponded with the early springtime blooms of a certain wildflower native to eastern North America: Phlox subulata—commonly called creeping phlox or moss phlox—which also went by the name “moss pink.”

Thanks to this seasonal association, this full Moon came to be called the Pink Moon!

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