The pink moon is seen behind a stork in the village of Rjanicino, Macedonia, on April 15th. The peak illumination will reach 14:55 ET on Saturday.ROBERT ATANASOVSKI / AFP / Getty Images
Many Canadians looking out their windows this Saturday afternoon may be surprised to see a full moon rising during the day. And not every moon – the Pink Moon.
When can I see the pink moon?
The moon will reach peak light against the sun at 14:55 ET, but will not be visible above the horizon until after sunset. For those observing other time zones, the peak times will be 11:55 PT, 12:55 MT, 13:55 CT and 14:55 AT.
The Maine Farmers’ Almanac, named after the Pink Moon, has created a sunrise and sunset calculator based on a zip code that can be used here.
Why do we call it the pink moon?
The name of the Pink Moon has surprisingly little in common with its color, which differs slightly from other full moons. In the 1930s, the Maine Farmers’ Almanac began to use the names of local, European, and North American settlers to denote the full moons of each month to track the seasons. Now they are used mainly as nicknames for each full moon.
“Although we would like this name to be associated with the color of the moon, the reality is not so mystical or inspiring,” the Almanac said in an online statement.
In mid-June, the Arctic tundra comes to life with pink Alaskan phlox and wild blue forget-me-nots. Moss Campion, seen here, is a small wild flower inhabiting the mountains that is found throughout the high Arctic.
“As a matter of fact, the full moon in April often corresponds to the early spring flowering of a certain wild flower native to eastern North America: Phlox subulata – commonly called creeping phlox or moss phlox – which was also called “pink moss”. Thanks to this seasonal association, this full moon came to be called the “pink” moon.
The pink moon has many names. Easter moon, Passover, Easter or Easter moon for many; sprouting grass, egg or fish moon among coastal tribes; The Easter moon; the Hanuman Jayanti holiday moon, as noted by the Hindus; or as it is also known among Buddhist cultures: Bak Poya.
Accelerated course at full moon
The moon cannot produce visible light, so the radiance we see comes from other objects, such as the sun or distant stars. The full moon occurs every 29.5 days after the moon completes its lunar cycle, according to the Royal Conservatory of Greenwich. After the moon completes the cycle, the entire side of the moon facing the Earth is illuminated by the sun’s rays, appearing like a shining orb in the sky.
Most months in our modern calendar year consist of more than 29 days, paving the way for the possibility of two full moons within a month.
Canadians celebrate religious holidays this weekend amid the sixth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic
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