Named by northern Native Americans after a species of early blooming wildflower, the Pink Moon also has an important role in setting the dates for Easter and Passover.
Despite its name, the moon itself won’t have a pink colour when viewed, and is also called the sprouting grass moon, the egg moon, and the fish moon
Here’s how you’ll be able to watch it in the UK, and what time you’ll be able to see it at its peak.
When to view April’s full Pink Moon
BBC Weather shares that on the evening of Wednesday, April 1, the moon will rise low on the horizon and is far more likely to look orange than pink.
This is because the sunlight it reflects reaches us through a denser part of the Earth’s atmosphere, which scatters blue and violet light, and means only the redder hues reach us.
The Pink Moon will be at its peak at 3.12am on Thursday, April 2.
At the time of writing, Wednesday night’s forecast is likely to have cloud and rain in England and Wales, making the moon more difficult to see.
The best chances of clear spells will be in the colder air for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
There are usually 12 full moons a year, occurring every 29.5 days—the length of time it takes for the moon to orbit the Earth and complete one lunar phase cycle.
After the Pink Moon, the next full moon will be the Flower Moon in May.
What role does April’s Pink Moon have in setting the dates for Easter and Passover?
Easter’s date is determined by the timing of key astronomical events, as it always falls on the first Sunday after the first full Moon that follows the spring equinox.
BBC Weather explains: “The date of the astronomical equinox also tends to naturally fluctuate between 20 and 21 March.
“In 2026, it happens on 20 March.
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“However, the Christian church decided to ‘set a fixed’ date for it to help regularise its own calculations and always used 21 March.”
As the first full Moon after March 21 is the Pink Moon on April 2, it means Easter is the following Sunday on April 5.
In a year when the full Moon itself rises on a Sunday, Easter will be set for the following one.
Will you be going out to view the Pink Moon? Let us know in the comments.
