April 2026 Full Pink Moon
The first full Moon of spring will be April’s full Pink Moon which occurs on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. The Moon will look full and round when it rises at 7:45PM EDT, but it won’t be a true full Moon until 10:12PM EDT when the Moon has moved in its orbit such that Earth is directly between the Sun and Moon. To see a truly inspiring view of this Moon, find an open area with no close buildings or trees, a clear view of the western horizon, and watch it rise. The Moon illusion causes the Moon to appear large on the horizon, and it won’t be pink, but it will be a beautiful golden color. Although the name Pink Moon might lead one to think this Moon would be pink in color, the name actually comes from the flower moss pink or as it’s also called creeping ground phlox that begins to bloom at this time of year. Moss pink is one of the earliest and most widespread spring flowers and it’s most often pink in color. This Moon is also called the Paschal Moon as it is the first full Moon after the spring equinox. In the Christian world this Moon is used to set the date for Easter. In Jewish tradition this Moon is called the Passover Moon and marks freedom from Egypt.
Native American names for full Moons are rooted in their knowledge of the natural world and their observed changes to this world from month to month. And, although Pink Moon is the most common name for April’s Moon, Native Americans also have other names that are associated with the rebirth and new growth that was occurring around them. For example, the Tlingit called this Moon the Budding Moon of Plants and Shrubs, the Choctaw call it the Moon of Blackberry, the Cherokee call it the Flower Moon, and the Oglala call it the Moon of the Red Grass Appearing. Some of the names come from farming such as the Winnebago Planting Corn Moon. Other names are associated with animals like the Cheyenne name When Geese Lay Eggs, the Lakota name Moon When the Ducks Come Back, and the Cree name Frog Moon. The Anishinaabe call this the Sucker Moon as this is the time of year when they harvest sucker fish that are returning to the streams and shallow lakes to spawn. Sucker fish are extremely important to the Anishinaabe not only as a food source. Their legend has it this is the time of year when sucker fish return from the spirit world to purify the waters and the creatures in them. For many northern tribes it hasn’t warmed enough yet to see the rebirth and new growth signs of spring. Their Moon names reflect the end of winter such as the Algonquin name Breaking Ice Moon and the Dakota name Moon When the Streams are Navigable Again. Another Lakota name for this Moon is When Wives Crack Bones for Marrow Fat, it refers to the scarcity of food as the winter ends.
No matter what name it’s given, for most of us the Pink Moon is a hopeful sign of spring and good things to come.