The first full Moon of spring, this Sunday, is known as the Pink Moon, but despite its name, it won’t be the biggest or the brightest.The first full Moon of spring is a micromoon because it occurs when the Moon is farthest in its orbit from Earth, known as apogee. This is the opposite of a supermoon when the full Moon occurs during perigee, when the Moon’s orbit is closest to Earth. APRIL STARGAZING HIGHLIGHTS: NIGHT SKIES LIGHT UP WITH PINK MOON, LYRID METEOR SHOWERThe distance between the Earth and the Moon during perigee is about 230,000 miles, while it’s about 20,000 miles farther away during apogee for a micromoon.The Moon will be fullest on Sunday, April 13, at 8:22 p.m. ET, which happens to be Palm Sunday. The Moon will appear full in the three days around April 13. Due to the distance, the micromoon will appear slightly dimmer and smaller than other full Moons during the year. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the first full Moon after the spring equinox is named for creeping phlox, a wildflower also known as “moss pink,” which blooms in April. 7 TIPS ON HOW TO SHOOT THE MOON WITH A CAMERAApril’s full Moon is also known by different names in Native American culture because of its ties to seasonal change. Some long but literal nicknames include the Dakota’s “Moon When the Streams Are Again Navigable” or the Tlingit’s “Budding Moon of Plants and Shrubs.”April offers a few other exciting stargazing events and reasons to look up, including the Lyrid Meteor Shower.Before you know it, it’s going to be May. Next month’s full Moon, known as the Flower Moon, rises on May 12.
