April's full moon is this weekend, and it's called the "Pink Moon." It is also going to be a micromoon.
It will peak Saturday at 8:22 p.m. ET.
The Pink Moon didn’t get its name from the its color. Rather, it got its name from a flower. Since it’s the first full moon of the spring, it usually coincides with the blooming of pink wildflowers, or phlox.
This year’s Pink Moon is also the Paschal full moon, which is the first full moon after the spring equinox. It marks the start of Passover and determines the date of Easter every year. Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after March 21, or after the Paschal full moon.
It’s also going to be a "micromoon," so it will appear smaller than a regular full moon. It’s not because the moon is actually smaller, but because of the farther distance from the Earth, also known as apogee.
It will reach its peak illumination at 8:22 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 12.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.