What to Know About This Weekend's Pink Micromoon, Including When to See It

On Saturday, April 12, the first full moon of spring will rise in the night sky, and it will look a bit different than the average full moon. Not, alas, because it will be pink—the color will be the same silvery white we're used to. But it will be tinier and dimmer, earning it the moniker of "micromoon." In fact, it will be the smallest full moon in all of 2025. Here's what a micromoon means, why this one is so small, why it's called a pink moon, and the best time to see it.

What Is a Micromoon?
A micromoon happens when a full moon is at its farthest distance from earth, the point on its elliptical path called the apogee. It's the opposite of a supermoon—when the moon appears especially large because it's closest to earth, or at its perigee.
On Saturday, the moon will be 252,280 miles from earth, according to EarthSky (as opposed to the average 226,000 miles at its perigee). This will make the moon appear about 14% smaller than a supermoon and about 6% smaller than an average full moon. It's a subtle difference, but devoted moon watchers may decipher it.

Why Is the April Micromoon the Smallest of the Year?
Micro full moons happen about three times a year; the last one was on March 14, 2025, and the next one will be on May 12, 2025. However, micro full moons can occur at slightly different distances from the apogee. The one this Saturday will be the smallest of the three because the moon will be farther from the earth than the other two. In May, the full moon will appear when it's 251,828 miles from earth, so 452 miles closer than the April one.

Why Is It Called a Pink Moon?
The pink moon is nicknamed after pink wildflowers, called creeping phlox, that are native to eastern North America and bloom in early spring, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. So the moon will not actually be pink; rather, it's a nod to the fact that it's the first full moon of spring.

It's also known as the Paschal Moon because it sets the date for Easter. (Easter comes the Sunday after the first full moon of spring; because this one extends into Sunday, April 13, Easter is the following Sunday, the 20th.) Other nicknames include the Egg Moon, the Fish Moon, and the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Almanac reports.

What Is the Best Time to See the Pink Micromoon?
The moon will reach its full illumination at 8:22 p.m. ET. Check timeanddate.com for when the moon rises and sets in your location. The best time to see the moon is typically around sunset, when it appears most visible to us due to something called the moon illusion, according to NASA. Find an unobstructed viewpoint, look toward the eastern horizon, and enjoy.