Pink Moon 2023

April's full moon, known as the pink moon, is named after the bright pink wildflower Phlox subulata that blooms in the spring. Batard Patrick/ABACA/Shutterstock.

The Pink Moon rises tonight (April 5) and peaks after midnight and during the early hours of Thursday (April 6).

[ best telescopes](https://www.space.com/15693-telescopes-beginners-telescope-reviews-buying-guide.html) and [ best binoculars](https://www.space.com/26021-best-binoculars.html) are also a great place to start. The Algonquin people refer to the April full moon as the "Breaking Ice Moon" and the Dakota tradition gives it the moniker "Moon When the Streams Are Again Navigable." This will lead to the next completely dark moon, or [new moon](https://www.space.com/17561-new-moon-explained-lunar-phases.html) phase, on April 20 according to [ Time and Date](https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/phases/). You can also see where astronauts, rovers and landers have ventured with our [Apollo landing sites observing guide](https://www.space.com/apollo-landing-sites-moon-observer-guide). [Farmer's Almanac](https://www.almanac.com/content/full-moon-april), the Pink Moon moniker is purely figurative in nature. The Tlingit and Oglala people refer to this full moon as the "Budding Moon of Plants and Shrubs" and the "Moon of the Red Grass Appearing" respectively, with these names also referencing the bloom of plant life. Don't forget a [moon filter](https://www.space.com/31048-how-to-observe-the-moon-telescope-binoculars.html)! April's full moon, also known as the Pink Moon, rises tonight (April 5), and will be visible in its full glory throughout the night. [the moon](https://www.space.com/55-earths-moon-formation-composition-and-orbit.html) will be fully illuminated, the portion of the lunar face lit by the sun will begin to recede, a process called "waning" by astronomers. By the time it is half illuminated, during the last quarter phase on April 13 it will rise at midnight and set around midday. The April Pink Moon takes its name from this springtime association which originates from Native American culture like many other [full moon names](https://www.space.com/39238-full-moon-names.html). We recommend the