If you’re a fan of stargazing, we’ve got some good news for you.
On April 19, Friday, the April ‘Pink Moon’ will glow brighter than ever, peaking in brightness roughly after 12 noon when viewed from the UK. It will reach this phase at around 12:12 BST (11:12 AM UTC), roughly eight hours before it rises for the night. After that, it will not be visible again until after 8:05 BST (7:05PM UTC).
Despite its interesting nickname though, the April Pink Moon is not actually colored pink, or even tinted pink. The name comes from the pink phlox flower, a plant found natively in the southwestern US. It was named after this flower due to their similar ‘schedules’ in spring. This flower usually arrives shortly after spring comes, similar to how the April Pink Moon is seen around this time as well.
As for its actual color, it mainly depends on the atmospheric conditions during the time it appears. In previous years, it has appeared white, yellow, or even orange. Most colored moon naming schemes are the same, with the Blue Moon not actually being blue but appearing to have a slightly bluish hue if the atmospheric conditions are right.
Last year, a large part of the world managed to witness the Blood Moon, which happened during a total solar eclipse. Although the moon itself didn’t turn red, it did seem to have a reddish, rust-like hue to it, due to the Earth’s position directly between the sun and the moon.
