Let’s be real – we all love a full moon, don’t we? Who hasn’t been walking down the street at night (drunk or otherwise) and stopped to just stare at the moon for a bit? There’s something rather magical about this glowing white orb that changes shape constantly and rules our planet’s tides (and even some of our emotions). And April’s full moon, intriguingly known as a ‘Pink Moon’, will shine down over us tonight.
Will the moon be pink?
Unfortunately, no, the moon will not be pink. The name ‘Pink Moon’ is not actually an indicator of any colour change in the moon. Instead, the name comes from the blooming flowers that are typically starting to be seen across the Northern Hemisphere. More specifically, it’s named for the moss pink herb, one of the earliest and most widespread Spring blooms (especially in America). The bloom is also known as the creeping phlox, moss phlox, or mountain phlox.
The name comes (along with a number of other moon names and terms) from The Maine Farmers’ Almanac, in America. In the 1930s, the almanac started noting down and using moon names they heard being used by some Native Americans. April’s full moon is also referred to as the ‘Sprouting Grass Moon’, the ‘Egg Moon’, or the ‘Fish Moon’, as well as the ‘Pesach’ or ‘Passover Moon’.[1]
Where to see the ‘Pink Moon’
Now, given that this is another full moon – you don’t really need to travel anywhere specific to see it. However, if you want to see the moon, it’s always best to be somewhere with low levels of light pollution. And, obviously, you want good conditions (aka no clouds). As such, London isn’t exactly the best city to see the ‘Pink Moon’.
A recent study Bókun, a travel booking management software provider, looked at the UK’s light pollution to find out which city would be the best place to see the moon in all its radiance. They also considered factors such as elevation (the closer you are, the better your view!), cloud cover, and visibility distance. According to this information, Coventry is the very best place to see the ‘Pink Moon’ in the UK. This is due to the second-best level of light pollution and a relatively high elevation compared to other cities.
The best places for a good view of the ‘Pink Moon’ are:
- Coventry
- Bradford
- Birmingham & Cardiff (joint position)
- Nottingham & Liverpool (joint position)
- Bristol
- Edinburgh
- Sheffield, Newcastle upon Tyne, Manchester & Glasgow (joint position)
- Leicester
- London & Leeds (joint position)
- Belfast
When to see the ‘Pink Moon’
The ‘Pink Moon’ will be visible on the evening of April 23(that’s tonight!). So following a (wonderfully late) post-8pm sunset, head outside (or watch from your window – it’s set to be a cold one!), and take in the glory of the April full moon. The moon will be at its brightest at 11:49pm.
What’s next?
Following April’s ‘Pink Moon’ we’ll be treated to the Flower Moon (May 23) and a Strawberry Moon in June, on the evening of the 21st. There will also be two Super Full Moons later this year, on September 18 and October 17. These lunar phenomena will result in the moon seeming MUCH larger than usual – so close you could almost touch it!
See the April ‘Pink Moon’ between April 23 and 24.