April Full Moon known as Pink moon is considered to be the biggest and the brightest full moon of year 2020. Reportedly the Pink Moon has been observed in many regions including America, Europe and in South Asia in specific time for each region.
The world is witnessing this super moon during coronavirus pandemic as more than 1.3 million people have been infected with and the rest of the world is in lockdown. During these depressing times, this astronomical event would provide some pleasant moments to the world.
What Is April’s Full Moon or Super Pink Moon
April full Moon or Pink Moon is not really an astrological term. It was first introduced by an astrologer, Richard Nolle, in 1979. He defined the full moon as pink moon as it approached the Earth’s orbit.
When full moon approaches to the closest point near Earth it is known as perigee-syzygy. At this point It is 221,772 miles (356,907 kilometers) away from Earth. When a full moon appears at perigee it is 30% brighter and larger than a regular full moon and that is why it is called super moon or pink moon. Unfortunately the pink moon is not actually pink in color.
Why Super Moon Is Called Pink Moon
The April full moon is known as Pink Moon. it gained the name because of it historically coincided with the blossoming of a particular type of wildflower native to the North American east and Canada.
According to Jackie Faherty, an Astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History the old Farmer’s Almanac referred April month’s Full Moon as the “Pink Moon.” But despite that name, the Moon will not appear pink. Particularly the Moon gets its name because its appearance often corresponds with the early blooms of moss phlox (a pink wildflower) native to eastern North America.
According to the statement by The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) the moon does not look pink but it appeared to be more like a golden above the horizon. It is due to atmospheric effect due to which sun appears red.
Other Names of April Full Moon
Traditionally, full Moon names were used to track the seasons, these names were used since Native American and Colonial-era time. The other names of April full Moon include the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and the Fish Moon.
Why April Full Moon Is Important
April’s full moon has marked many important religious festivals and holidays for people around the world. The first Sunday after the Full Moon is celebrated as Easter which itself follows the spring equinox. Hindus celebrate the birth of Hanuman in India, festival called Hanuman Jayanti. The April full moon has great impotence in Judaism as well, as it also marks the beginning of Jewish Passover.
Pink Moon Folklore
The full moon gets blamed for a lot of crazy stuff including werewolves.
According to folklore, the period from the full Moon to the last quarter, is the best time to plant below-ground crops and to kill weeds, thinning, pruning, mowing, and cutting timber.
Some Full Moon Names
Each year, there are 12 full moons one each month. Historically, Native American and other traditional names for full Moons were used to track the seasons and the events that occurred. Like the full moon of month January 2019 was named Wolf Moon or Blood Moon because wolf tend to howl more often at this time.
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