The first full moon of spring, called the “Pink Moon,” will soon ascend in the night sky. Curious onlookers can expect to catch a glimpse of the full moon's peak at 8:22 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on April 12, 2025, yet the lack of a rosy hue may leave many people perplexed.
The Pink Moon is significant for many reasons, but its color is not one of them; despite the vibrant name, the Pink Moon is not actually pink. Find out the true reason for this full moon’s colorful moniker, as well as the aspects that make it a springtime spectacle to look forward to.
Why Is It Called the Pink Moon?
The Pink Moon was given its name to represent the bloom of the creeping phlox (otherwise known as moss pink), a flowering plant that blankets much of the eastern and central U.S. from April through early May. This moon, just like the full moons of other months, is rooted in Native American naming traditions.
The Pink Moon sports a few alternate names as well, including the Breaking Ice Moon (from Algonquin culture) and the Egg Moon (from Anglo-Saxon culture).
This year’s Pink Moon also doubles as the Paschal full moon, which is used to set the date for Easter and is defined as the first full moon after the spring equinox (which occurred on March 20, 2025 in North America). Easter is celebrated on the Sunday following the Paschal full moon — since this month's full moon will appear on April 12, 2025, Easter will fall on April 20, 2025.
Read More: From a Pink Moon to Blue, the Moon's Colors Aren't Always Colorful
Viewing a Micromoon
The Pink Moon may not change color, but it will exhibit another notable trait that will make it stand apart. The full moon will be a micromoon, making it somewhat smaller in appearance as it emerges in the sky. The change in size, though, is so slight that it may not be obvious at first glance. Regardless, the Pink Moon will have the distinction of being the smallest full moon of 2025.
A micromoon’s reduced size is the result of the moon reaching its apogee, or its farthest point from Earth. The flip side of this phenomenon is a supermoon, which is when the moon reaches its perigee (its closest approach to Earth) and appears much larger in the sky.
This year’s Pink Moon will be situated in the constellation Virgo, which can be easily found by tracking down Spica, the constellation’s brightest star and the 16th brightest star in the night sky. The star will manifest as a dot right near the full moon, but it may be difficult to spot with the naked eye, depending on the amount of light pollution around viewing locations.
When to See the Pink Moon
While the Pink Moon will peak and shine brightest on the evening of April 12, 2025 the window to catch its appearance will last longer than just one day; the moon will still appear full in the sky on Friday and Sunday.
Following the Pink Moon's appearance, moon watchers will have to wait until May 12, 2025 to observe the next full moon — the Flower Moon.
Read More: Scientists Are Still Pondering These Mysteries of the Moon
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
NASA. Supermoons
Jack Knudson is an assistant editor at Discover with a strong interest in environmental science and history. Before joining Discover in 2023, he studied journalism at the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University and previously interned at Recycling Today magazine.
