April's full Moon, known as the Pink Moon, will reach its peak in the UK at 3.12am BST on Thursday, April 2. The Moon will appear bright and full on both Wednesday, April 1, and Thursday evening, offering sky watchers two prime opportunities to view it.
Despite its name, the Pink Moon will not actually appear pink. Instead, it will likely glow a vibrant orange as it sits low on the horizon. This is due to sunlight scattering, which can give the Moon a red, orange, or potentially pink tinge. It may also appear larger because of a phenomenon called a 'moon illusion'.
The best time to see the Pink Moon is as it rises. On Wednesday, April 1, it will rise in the eastern sky at around 7.14pm, appearing about 99 per cent full. On Thursday, it will rise at around 8.30pm, appearing nearly 100 per cent full, before reaching its peak at 3.12am.
This month's full Moon coincides with NASA's historic Artemis II mission, launching on April 1. The mission marks the first manned lunar flyaround in over 50 years, with four astronauts venturing further into space than humans have ever gone before.
The Pink Moon is named after the vibrant pink flowers of Phlox subulata, also known as moss phlox or moss pink, which bloom in spring. Other full Moon nicknames include January's 'Wolf Moon' and February's 'Snow Moon'.
