Moon watchers lit up Twitter and other social media sites on Thursday morning with stunning images and footage of April 2023's full moon also known as the Pink Moon.
The first moon of spring 2023 rose on Wednesday, April 5 but reached its peak in the early hours on Thursday, April 6.
Related: Night sky, April 2023: What you can see tonight [maps]
Looking for a telescope to see the features of the full moon up close? We recommend the Celestron Astro Fi 102 as the top pick in our best beginner's telescope guide. Don't forget a moon filter!
Jamal Nasir who goes by the handle of Themoonguy on Twitter, a self-taught and avid moon photographer, caught the Pink Moon shining over Punjab, Pakistan. The glow of the full moon in Nasir's images is seen shining through clouds illuminating them with white light.
The Pink Moon 2023 pic.twitter.com/vXrJ0IHaFnApril 5, 2023
"So I was planning to capture the moon rise too but it was really cloudy at that time," Nasir told Space.com. "So I had to wait for it to be a bit bright and visible. It looked amazing behind the clouds."
Also catching the Pink Moon framed by clouds over Pakistan was the Twitter user Anas.
The Pink Moon 2023 pic.twitter.com/KEsYWKUIeHApril 5, 2023
Anas also filmed a stunning video of the Pink Moon as it is covered by dark clouds, calling the sight "A Nod to the bountiful blooming flowers and trees that the spring weather brings."
A Nod to the bountiful blooming flowers and trees that the spring weather brings. Presenting you the Pink Moon. pic.twitter.com/2gVOu80BMiApril 5, 2023
Twitter's West Marin Feed caught the Pink Moon over Tomales Bay in northern California on early Thursday morning. The full moon appears in the image as a vibrant bright orange.
An incredible pink moon full moon over Tomales Bay tonight. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/bjnYmRzXkoApril 6, 2023
One of the most stunning images of the April full moon to grace social media was taken by Twitter user Marwella Zhang, a self-described space enthusiast, amateur space artist, and amateur photographer. After waiting for the clouds to clear up to give her a better view, Zhang outdid herself by capturing the Pink Moon in breathtaking detail.
"The moon is my favorite celestial object and I'll try to capture some pictures of it whenever I can, almost daily," Zhang told Space.com.
The view has improved and finally got my chance to capture Pink Full Moon. #moon #fullmoon #PinkMoon #MoonHour pic.twitter.com/2eLFuvidNlApril 5, 2023
Photographer Sigma Sreedharan posted a spectacular time-lapse video on Twitter that showed the Pink Moon diving behind Seattle's Space Needle.
Here's a #timelapse of this morning's #pinkmoon setting behind #SpaceNeedle in the #Seattle skyline. Shooting a moon alignment video requires pretty precise location planning as you can't move your tripod once you start. I plan these shots using @Photopills. Camera: Fujifilm… pic.twitter.com/NdyMT65Tr9April 5, 2023
You might be wondering why, in those incredible images and videos of the Pink Moon, April's full moon doesn't actually look very pink. That's because the Pink Moon is pink in name alone.
Farmer's Almanac says that the April full moon actually gets its moniker from the fact that its rise coincides with the annual bloom of Phlox subulata. This is a pink wildflower native to North America that is also known as "moss pink." Coming from Native American tradition, the Pink Moon title refers to the springtime bloom of this flower.
Other alternative names for April's full moon also from Native American tradition also refer to the blossoming of plant life during the onset of spring. These include the "Budding Moon of Plants and Shrubs" and the "Moon of the Red Grass Appearing" from the Tlingit and Oglala traditions.
Other seasonally influenced names for April's full moon are references to the throwing of winter ice, something that would have been important to the Native Americans as it would allow them to traverse the landscape more freely again.
These full moon names include "Breaking Ice Moon" and the "Moon When the Streams Are Again Navigable" from the Algonquin people and the Dakota tradition.
The next full moon which rises on May 5 also has a suitable season and more overtly floral name, the Full Moon of Flowers.
If you are inspired by these Pink Moon images and want to catch an image of May's full moon yourself, check out our guide on how to photograph the moon, as well as our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography. If you are just looking to observe the full moon or any other celestial object our guides to the best telescopes and best binoculars are a great place to start.
Fancy taking a more in-depth moonlit tour of our rocky companion? Our ultimate guide to observing the moon will help you plan your next skywatching venture whether it be exploring the lunar seas, mountainous terrain, or the many craters that blanket the landscape. You can also see where astronauts, rovers, and landers have ventured with our Apollo landing sites observing guide.
Editor's Note: If you snap an image of the Pink Moon and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
