MOON: Tonight is April’s Full Pink Moon.
But it isn’t pink.
It is named after a flower, the pink phlox.Today’s full moon is what’s known as the Paschal Full Moon, the full moon that determines the date of Easter.
The moon is at its peak at 7:12 a.m. today.
Now for some more about that name. We turn, as we often do, to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
“While April is known for its showers and ever-warming temperatures, it is also known as a month when spring flowers begin to show up. Herb moss pink phlox, or ‘wild ground’ phlox, is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. As the name infers, the flowers are pink in color, thus the name for April’s full Moon — the Pink Moon. But no, the Moon itself won’t be turning pink.
“Full Moon names date back to Native Americans of North America. Tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full Moon. Full Moon names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred. There was some variation in the full Moon names, but in general, the same ones were consistent among regional tribes. European settlers followed that custom and created some of their own names.”
In January, the full moon is the Wolf Moon, named after howling wolves. In February, it is the Snow Moon, named after the ubiquitous winter weather. In March, it is the Worm Moon, because earthworms start to resurface after winter’s end.
May’s full moon is the Flower Moon, with all the blooming posies. In June, it is the Strawberry Moon, for the ripening of the tasty berries. July is the Buck Moon, to signify new antlers, while August is the Sturgeon Moon because of the “large number of fish in the lakes where the Algonquin tribes fished.
In September and October, it is the Harvest Moon if it falls around the September equinox. In September it is the Corn Moon, in October it is the Hunter’s Moon. November is the Beaver Moon, and December the Cold Moon.
