What is the Pink Moon?
Celebrate the Full Moon for April 2020! Find out why it’s called the Pink Moon—plus more Moon facts and folklore.
What is the Pink Moon?
In ancient times, it was common to track the seasons by the lunar calendar (as opposed to the solar calendar, which came later).
Native peoples once observed the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon. Time was not recorded by using the months of the Julian or Gregorian calendar. As a result, many of the traditional names we use in The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from the Native Americans who interacted with American Colonists.
April’s full Moon is called the Full Pink Moon, heralding the appearance of the “moss pink,” or wild ground phlox—one of the early spring flowers.
Other names include the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and the Fish Moon.
See the full year of Full Moon names and their meanings.
Pink ground phlox, or “moss pink,” lends its name to the April Moon.
Moon Phases for April 2020
All dates and times are EDT. See our Moon Phase Calendar to customize times to your location.
|First Quarter: April 1, 6:21 A.M. EDT|
|Full Moon: April 7, 10:35 P.M. EDT|
|Last Quarter: April 14, 6:56 P.M. EDT|
|New Moon: April 22, 10:26 P.M. EDT|
|First Quarter: April 30, 4:38 P.M. EDT|
NOTE: In April 2020, note that the Full Moon is April 7 in North America, but crests in the wee hours of April 8 (2:35 A.M.) Universal Time.
(Universal Time is the mean solar time in Greenwich, England.) Your calendars may differ, based on the time zone.
April Moon Facts and Folklore
A full Moon in April brings frost. If the full Moon rises pale, expect rain.
- On April 20, 1972, the lunar module of Apollo XVI landed on the moon with astronauts John Young and Charles Duke aboard. Thomas Mattingly remained in orbit around the moon aboard the command module.
- One day later, on April 21, 1972, Apollo XVI astronauts John Young and Charles Duke drove an electric car on the surface of the moon. It’s still up there along with some expensive tools and some film that they forgot.
- According to folklore, the period from the full Moon through the last quarter of the Moon is the best time for killing weeds, thinning, pruning, mowing, cutting timber, and planting below-ground crops. Read more about Gardening by the Moon.
April Best Days 2020
Below are the Best Days for activities, based on the Moon’s sign and phase in April.
- Aboveground crops: 1, 2, 27–29
- Belowground crops: 9, 10, 18, 19
For Setting Eggs:
- 6–8, 15, 16
- 1–7, 22–30
See Best Days for more activities.
Full Pink Moon Video
Each month, we will explain the traditional names of the full Moon along with some interesting and insightful Moon facts. Click below to watch the video.
Share your thoughts about this month’s Moon below!