The Pink Moon in 2027: date, time and why it has that name
April's full Moon, the Pink Moon, is full on . The name comes from spring flowers; the Moon itself does not turn pink.
Next three
The next three Pink Moon dates
- 383,421 km
- 363,855 km
- 358,370 kmSupermoon
The Pink Moon is the first full Moon of April by UTC date. In a time zone far ahead of or behind UTC, the date you see for it can fall in the next or previous month.
The name
Why it is called the Pink Moon
American almanacs name April's full Moon for wild ground phlox, one of the first pink flowers of spring across the eastern United States, which covers hillsides around the time of the Moon. The Moon does not change color for the occasion: it keeps its usual pale yellow-white and shows a warm tint only when it sits low.
Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon and Fish Moon are other April names, each pointing at a different spring sign. The Anglo-Saxon month list gives Eostre Moon, and the modern revival list calls this Moon the Growing Moon.
- Usually in
- April
- Next full
- Distance then
- 383,421 km
- Supermoon then
- No
- Next three
- Apr 20, 2027 · Apr 9, 2028 · Apr 28, 2029
In the sky
How the Pink Moon looks
If you want to see pink, look at the sky, not the Moon. Right after sunset a rose-colored band, the Belt of Venus, hangs over the eastern horizon, and the Pink Moon climbs into it: pale gold at first, yellow-white once it clears the haze, silver as it rises.
April's Moon is lower than winter's: about 40 degrees up at its highest at 40 degrees north, rising a little south of east. Close to the horizon it looks huge, an illusion of comparison with distant ridges and trees, and the disc is half a degree wide at any height.
April is autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, with no spring bloom to match the name. For southern observers the Moon climbs high in the northern sky, about 65 degrees at 35 degrees south, which makes it an easy one to watch.
- Northern Hemisphere
- The Moon rises in the east near sunset
- Southern Hemisphere
- The same Moon, markings turned upside down
- Colour
- Gold near the horizon, white once it climbs
- Rises
- Around sunset
- Sets
- Around sunrise
Questions people ask
Quick answers
When is the next Pink Moon?
April 20, 2027 (UTC). The cards above show the next three, in your time zone.
Why is it called the Pink Moon?
American almanacs name April's full Moon for wild ground phlox, one of the first pink flowers of spring across the eastern United States, which covers hillsides around the time of the Moon. The Moon does not change color for the occasion: it keeps its usual pale yellow-white and shows a warm tint only when it sits low.
Is the Pink Moon a supermoon?
Not the next one: the Moon is 383,421 km away, farther than 361,400 km. Some years it is.
Does the Pink Moon change colour?
The Moon only looks gold or orange when it is low and its light crosses a lot of air. Higher up it looks white.
Is this name the same everywhere?
No. These are the US almanac names. Other regions and traditions name the same full Moons differently, and the names are not one single tradition.