There’s a ‘pink’ full moon tonight, and it’s super. Here’s what to know and when to see it

Once in a blue moon, there’s a pink moon.

Actually, that’s not true. There’s one every April.

“Pink moon” is the term for the full moon in April and this year, it’s tonight.

The adjective “pink” alludes to the blossoming of the eastern North American wildflower Phlox subulata (a.k.a. creeping phlox, moss phlox, or moss pink) this time of year. However, it’s a bit of a misnomer, because the moon won’t look pink, but rather golden and then white.

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, you’ll be able to see the special moon after the sun goes down, though the best viewing—with the most illumination—will be around 11:33 p.m. ET.

The pink moon is also the first of two supermoons in 2021, according to NASA. Mark it in your calendar: The second one is on May 26.

Supermoons earn that prefix because, as the Almanac explains, they’re on average 7% bigger and 15% brighter than regular full moons.

Numerous Native American tribes have names for the April full moon, the Almanac says: Breaking Ice Moon (Algonquin), Moon When the Streams Are Again Navigable (Dakota), Budding Moon of Plants and Shrubs (Tlingit), Moon of the Red Grass Appearing (Oglala), Moon When the Ducks Come Back (Lakota), Moon When the Geese Lay Eggs (Dakota), Frog Moon (Cree), and Sucker Moon (Anishinaabe).