The Full Pink Moon of 2024 rises tonight.
Look to the east shortly after sunset to see the full moon rise above the horizon. The moon will be in the Virgo constellation, and will have most of the night to enjoy the night sky by itself while the planets are situated on the other side of Earth. That's great news for skywatchers because the full moon's brightness makes spotting other cosmic targets quite difficult when they are indeed above us; tonight, however, those targets won't even be an option. It's a night to focus solely on the moon.
The exact time of the full moon, which will take shape when the moon is exactly 180 degrees opposite the sun in the sky, will occur around 7:49 pm. EDT (2349 GMT). Still, the moon will appear "full" to the unaided eye throughout the whole night. It will set in the west shortly before 7 a.m. local time.
Related: April full moon 2024: The Pink Moon joins Mars and Saturn in the night sky
Read more: Full moon calendar 2023: When to see the next full moon
Looking for a telescope to observe 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!
Saturn and Mars will rise in the east around two hours prior to sunrise, although they will be just a few degrees above the horizon — making finding them a tricky feat for some locations.
Unfortunately, the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower also happens to coincide with the full moon this year, making this a bad year for Lyrid-lovers. When moonwatching, you might be able to catch sight of a bright Lyrid or two, but don't expect much. Even on a good day, this isn't the most productive meteor shower to begin with.
The name of April's Full Pink Moon is believed to come a pink flower known as the ground phlox, which commonly blooms in North America around this time. Other names for the celestial event include the Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon and Fish Moon.
Hoping to snap a good photo of the Full Pink Moon or the lunar surface at any other time? Our guide on how to photograph the moon is always helpful if you need a few tips. And you're looking for a camera, here's our overview on the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.
As always, our guides for the best telescopes and best binoculars can help you prepare for the next full moon or any other skywatching event.
Editor's note: If you get an amazing photo of April's Full Pink Moon you'd like to share for a possible story or image gallery, you can send images and comments in to spacephotos@futurenet.com.
