There’s the strawberry moon, the blue moon and now the pink moon, which is set to grace our skies tonight.
The full moon of each month is given a name — a practice adopted from Indigenous people. Most likely know of fall’s harvest moon, for example, which can occur in either September or October. It is named for the time of year that crops are traditionally gathered.
But there are others, such as June’s strawberry moon and August’s sturgeon moon. Every month references something significant, such as a month when strawberries were harvested or fish were caught more easily.
If you’re hoping to look up tonight and see our moon masked in an unusual shade of pink, you’ll be disappointed; this month’s moon name derives from pink ground phlox, one of the earliest flowers to bloom at this time of year.
That means our nearest celestial neighbour will be its familiar bright, white self tonight.
But don’t expect a disappointing scene: every month’s full moon can be a spectacular sight, particularly if you happen to catch it rising. A full moon just above Lake Ontario or the Rockies is a sight to behold.(CBC News)
Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/april-pink-moon-1.4066159
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