Saturday night (April 12) brings us the April full moon, which traditionally is known as the "Pink Full Moon." The Native Americans who once occupied the northern and eastern United States kept track of the seasons by attaching distinctive names to each full moon that occurred at approximate 29-day intervals during the course of the year
The "Pink Moon" name is rather deceptive, however, because it might initially give some the idea that on that particular night the full moon will appear to glow with a pinkish or salmon hue. Some years ago here at Space.com, I related an anecdote about when I was a young boy and a local TV weathercaster made the suggestion to go out and look for the pink moon, and my mother dutifully took me outside to show it to me — which instead, disappointingly, appeared like any other normal full moon.
