The full moon for the month of April has been dubbed the Pink Moon, and it may be seen shining brilliantly on Thursday, April 6, 2023. According to NASA, the full moon will reach its peak illumination around 12:35 am ET. However, they added that it will appear in full Thursday evening through Friday morning.
Despite the title, the moon will not appear pink, but it signifies the blooming of springtime.
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the term is a nod to Phlox Subulata. It is a pink-colored wildflower that blooms during the early springtime in the North American region. The name has its roots in Native American cultures. These flowers are commonly called creeping phlox, moss phlox, or moss pink.
The Pink Moon is also called Breaking Ice Moon and the Moon When the Streams Are Again Navigable. This refers to the melting ice and ease of navigating through water. It is also called the Fish Moon among coastal tribes as the American shad swims upstream to reproduce.
This year, the Pink Moon is also the first full moon of spring. It is also called the Paschal Full Moon or the Passover Moon due to its proximity to the Jewish festival of Passover. It is significant because it determines the date Easter will be celebrated. Easter falls on the first Sunday after the Paschal Moon or the first full moon after the spring equinox.
The Pink Moon also has astrological significance
In astronomy, a full moon occurs when the said body is directly opposite the Sun in its orbit around the Earth. In astrology, this placement gives rise to zodiac polarities. The sign the moon falls in will be in opposition to the sign that the sun is shining through.
In April 2023, the full moon is a Libra Moon, while the sun will shine through its opposite of Aries. Libra is a sign focused on partnerships and compromises while Aries is about self and progress.
Spiritually, this means that it is time for the old, which relates to people's independence and identity, and even for their anger to resurface. It is also a time to lay all the frustrations to rest, to feel at ease asking for help, and to seek emotional balance.
Full moons also signify the end of the old cycle and Pink Moons point toward the culmination of a six-month cycle that began in September 2022. It calls for reflection and introspection of all that has come to fruition in the last six months. It is a sort of checkpoint to refocus and recalibrate priorities while letting go of the unneeded.
According to Liz Simmons at Style Caster, during this lunar cycle, one can expect bittersweet endings.
What are the different names of full Moons?
Each full moon in the Lunar cycle has a corresponding name. Here is a list for 2023 with their corresponding dates:
- January 6, 2023 - Wolf Moon
- February 5, 2023 - Snow Moon
- March 7, 2023 - Worm Moon
- April 6, 2023 - Pink Moon
- May 5, 2023 - Flower Moon
- June 3, 2023 - Strawberry Moon
- July 3, 2023 - Buck Moon
- August 1, 2023 - Sturgeon
- August 30, 2023 - Blue Moon (Any full Moon that happens a second time in a given month)
- September 29, 2023 - Harvest Moon
- October 28, 2023 - Hunter's Moon
- November 27, 2023 - Beaver Moon
- December 26, 2023 - Cold Moon
In addition to the Pink Moon, three of the five visible planets will be seen in the sky this month, with Venus being the brightest, followed by Mercury and Mars.