April’s full moon, known as the ‘Pink Moon,’ will be lighting up the spring night sky this week alongside several of our closest planets and the April Lyrids meteor shower.
Following the April 8 total solar eclipse, the moon is once again the star of the show as it peaks this week.
The April full moon peaks Tuesday, April 23, at 7:49 p.m. EDT. The moon, dubbed the Pink Moon, will appear full for about three days, from Monday morning (which is Earth Day) to Thursday morning.
The Pink Moon is named after the herb moss pink, a plant native to the eastern U.S. and one of the earliest widespread flowers of spring, according to NASA. Other names for this moon include the Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, Fish Moon, the Pesach or Passover Moon, the Hanuman Jayanti Festival Moon, and Bak Poya.
On Tuesday evening, while the moon is at its fullest, Jupiter will be visible just above the west-northwestern horizon, and will remain visible to the naked eye through April 29, NASA says.
Tuesday morning, Mars and Saturn will be visible just above the eastern horizon. Shortly after twilight begins, Mercury will appear — it will, however, be faint, NASA explains.
Read more here from KXAN Austin.
