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April’s The full moon won’t be pink tonight, despite its name, but the bright golden orb may still offer a sight to behold.
Moon watchers can begin seeing the lunar event beginning Wednesday night and peaking early Thursday morning at 12:34 AM ET.
“April’s full moon, at first glance, will look like any other full moon,” Dr. Noah Petro, head of NASA’s Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Lab, said in an email. Each, however, “presents a special opportunity to see a beautiful moon and watch as the moon moves through its phases.
“I encourage people to dust off their binoculars or telescopes to look closely at the moon, try to see the different colors (light and dark areas) and recognize that these differences reflect the different compositions of the rocks.”
Full moons are seen in the northern and southern hemispheres, as they are considered to be at their peak 12 hours before and after the full moon phase, According to EarthSky. The fullness of the moon will not appear very different to the human eye The day before or after Crest
For the best viewing of the pink moon, Petro recommends finding a location with minimal light pollution and a clear view of the sky. Viewers can also keep an eye out for Venus and Mars, as they will be outside and fairly close to the Moon in the night sky.
“When people look at the Moon, I want them to think of it not just as a close neighbor in space, but as Earth’s eighth continent,” Petro said via email.
Referring to NASA’s Artemis lunar program, he added, “We are preparing to send astronauts back to the moon as well as numerous robotic missions to its surface. The next few years are going to be very exciting for lunar science!”
The pink moon is a nod to the abundant flowers and plants that spring weather brings. Specifically, Pink Moon gets its name from a hot pink wildflower, Phlox subulata, which grows in dense mats of vibrant leaves, commonly called creeping phlox, moss phlox, or moss rose. The wildflower is native to eastern North America and often attracts butterflies that herald the arrival of spring. According to Farmers calendar.
Other names for this moon include the rising moon, flower moon, and big leaf moon, among other names that come from Native American tribes in nod to the season’s blossoming tree leaves, according to a guide compiled here. Western Washington University.
April full moon this year It is the first full moon of spring, otherwise known as the Easter full moon. This lunar event holds special significance for those who celebrate Easter, as the date of the religious observance falls on the Sunday after the Paschal Moon appears in the night sky.
There are nine more moons to look out for this year, including two supermoons in August, meaning they’ll appear even bigger in the sky as they’re closer to Earth.
Here is the list of remaining full moons in 2023, According to Farmers Calendar:
• May 5: Flower Moon
• June 3: Strawberry Moon
• July 3: Buck Moon
• August 1: Sturgeon Moon
• August 30: Blue Moon
• September 29: Harvest Moon
• October 28: Hunter’s Moon
• November 27: Beaver Moon
• December 26: Cold Moon
A total of four eclipses will be seen in 2023, with two solar eclipses and two lunar eclipses.
A total solar eclipse will be visible in Australia, Southeast Asia and Antarctica on April 20. In a short time, the Moon will pass between the Sun and Earth, causing the Sun to appear as a fiery circle in the sky. Proper eclipse glasses will be required to view the event safely.
After a while, a penumbral lunar eclipse Happens on May 5, visible to those in Africa, Asia and Australia. During this eclipse, the Moon will enter Earth’s shadow, causing the lunar surface to dim.
a Circular solar eclipse Taking place on October 14th — watch if you live in North, Central or South America. This phenomenon occurs when the Moon is at or near its farthest point from Earth, making the Moon appear smaller than the Sun and creating a more pronounced halo as it passes between the Sun and Earth.
On October 28, a Partial lunar eclipse People in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, parts of North America and many parts of South America will be able to see Only part of the Moon will go into shadow, since the Earth and the Moon will not be completely aligned.
Finally ending the meteor shower drought, the Lyrids will rain later this month and bring the first major showers since the Quadrantides appeared in January. The Lyrids will soon be followed by the celestial event of May’s Aquarids.
Here’s the rest The meteor shower of 2023 and their maximum date:
• Lyrid: April 22-23
• Eta Aquariids: May 5-6
• Southern Delta Aquarids: July 30-31
• Alpha Capricornides: July 30-31
• Perseids: August 12-13
• Orionids: October 20-21
• Southern Tourids: November 4-5
• Northern Tarids: November 11-12
• Leonids: November 17-18
• Gemini: December 13-14
• Ursids: December 21-22
