Look up: April full moon is a Full Pink Moon: A rare full micromoon

When to See the Full Moon in April 2025

Full Moon (Pink Moon): Occurs on April 12, 2025, at 8:22 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), which corresponds to April 13, 2025, at 00:22 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). ​

For the best view of this stunning spring Moon, head to an open area and watch as it rises above the horizon. At this moment, it will appear larger than usual due to the Moon illusion and take on a beautiful golden hue! [Find local Moon rise and set times here.]

An April Micromoon

The full Moon on April 12, 2025, occurs just before reaching apogee, which happens on April 13, 2025, at 6:49 p.m. EDT (April 13, 2025, at 22:49 GMT).

Apogee refers to the point when the Moon is farthest from Earth. When the full Moon occurs near this point, it’s classified as a “micromoon”—the opposite of a supermoon. Since this full Moon happens about 22 hours before apogee, it will appear slightly smaller and dimmer than usual.

Why does the Moon’s distance vary? The Moon orbits Earth in an elliptical path, with one side closer and the other farther. While this affects its size and brightness, the difference is too subtle to notice with the naked eye. What often makes the Moon appear larger is the “Moon illusion”—an optical effect that occurs when it’s near the horizon. Since this micromoon will be high in the sky, it likely won’t appear as large or imposing as a full Moon closer to the horizon.

The Paschal Moon

Did you know that the full Moon sets the date for Easter? April’s full Moon has religious significance as well. In Christianity, it’s known as the Lenten Moon if it’s the last full Moon of winter (before the spring equinox) or the Paschal Full Moon if it’s the first ecclesiastical full Moon of spring (after the equinox).

This year, April’s ecclesiastical full Moon (the 14th day in the lunar cycle, which falls on April 12, 2025) occurs after the ecclesiastical spring equinox (always set on March 21, whereas the astronomical spring equinox is on March 20, 2025), making it the Paschal Moon. As the first full Moon of the season, it will determine the date of Easter this year. [Read more about how Easter’s date is determined.]

Why Is It Called the Pink Moon?

The Old Farmer’s Almanac draws its full Moon names from various sources, including Native American, Colonial American, and European traditions. Traditionally, these names refer not just to the full Moon but to the entire lunar month in which it occurs.

While the name “Pink Moon” might suggest a rosy-colored Moon, the reality is a bit less magical. The name comes from the early spring bloom of a wildflower native to eastern North America: Phlox subulata, commonly known as creeping phlox or moss phlox. This flower, often called “moss pink,” was in full bloom around April’s full Moon.

Thanks to this seasonal connection, the April full Moon became known as the Pink Moon!

Alternative April Moon Names

April’s full Moon names reflect the vibrant signs of spring!

• The Breaking Ice Moon (Algonquin) and Moon When the Streams Are Again Navigable (Dakota) reference the melting ice and the increased mobility of early spring.
• The Budding Moon of Plants and Shrubs (Tlingit) and Moon of the Red Grass Appearing (Oglala) highlight the plant growth about to take off.
• Other names focus on the return of certain animals, like the Moon When the Ducks Come Back (Lakota), Moon When the Geese Lay Eggs (Dakota), and Frog Moon (Cree).
• The Sucker Moon (Anishinaabe) marks the time to harvest sucker fish, which return to streams or shallow lakes to spawn. Legend says this is when the fish come back from the spirit world to purify the waters and the creatures within them. This name can also apply to the February Moon, honoring the sucker fish’s sacrifice to help the Anishinaabe survive the winter.

Source: Catherine Boeckmann, The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Photo Credit: space.com