April's Full Pink Moon Is Coming And Here's How To Catch It
Attention all stargazers, dust off your DLSR camera and adjust your weekend plans accordingly, because you're about to be treated to the first full moon of spring. Otherwise known as the Pink Moon, Paschal Moon, and Passover Moon, there's some interesting trivia afoot to be the life of the moon watch party, should you bring along less celestial-savvy friends and family members.
According to NASA, the upcoming full Moon will appear "slightly smaller than usual." That's because it will be at or around its farthest viewing point from human eyeballs on Earth. Unlike some of the past Pink Moon events, including last year's, NASA has not put out a press release or blog post (that we're aware of) detailing what's to come.
When To See April's Full Pink Moon
That's okay because the Farmers' Almanac has picked up the slack, noting that the Full Pink Moon will take places on Saturday, April 12, 2025 at precisely 8:22 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (5:22 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time). That means you won't have to stay up late to see it, unlike some celestial events that sometimes occur in the wee hours of the morning (such as last month's partial solar eclipse).
The Farmers' Almanac also holds the key that unlocks the mystery of the Pink Full Moon designation. It's not named as such because of any coloring in the sky—though it may appear pink anyway, depending on where you live—but after pink wildflowers that bloom in the spring.
To be more specific, it pay homage to the creeping phlox, otherwise known as the moss phlox, which are some of the first flowers to bloom in the spring season. In addition to appearing pink, they also have purple and white hues.
There are other names for the Pink Moon, too.
"The Oglala tribe of the Dakotas in the Midwest know this Moon as the “Budding Moon,” a nod to trees and shrubs showing signs of life. While early American colonists called it the “Sugar Maker Moon,” a reference to making fresh maple syrup at this time of year," the Farmers' Almanac explains.
Tips For Photographing The Moon
For best results in photographing the Pink Moon, or any full moon, try to find a location with the least amount of light pollution. A training article on Canon's website offers more tips for moon shots in general. One of the key tips is to use the Looney f/11 rule.
"It states that when photographing the full moon, use f/11, ISO 100 and 1/100 second or one over your ISO if you want a different shutter speed. This is similar to the sunny f/16 rule that says to photograph on a sunny day use f/16, ISO 100 and 1/100 second or 1/the same as the ISO number or closest number," Canon states. "For example, at ISO 200 the shutter speed would be 1/200 second."
You should also bring a tripod. They're not all that expensive for a basic model, like this 64-inch tripod that's on sale for $20.89 at Amazon (25% off), or this Amazon Basics 50-inch tripod for $16.49 (2% off). When or if you're ready to step up your photography game, sturdier and higher end options will require a heftier investment, like this Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263AB tripod kit for $169.99 at Amazon.
