A pink moon over Illinois, then a meteor shower. Don’t miss these sights in night sky
The full “pink” moon will rise over Illinois soon, but why is it called that?
The pink moon gets its name not from the hue of the full moon, but because wildflowers bloom in April. Specifically, the flower “moss pink” inspired the name, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Along with the pink moon, April’s full moon is also referred to as the sprouting grass moon, egg moon, fish moon and other names, according to NASA.
Here’s when to catch a look at the pink moon this year in Belleville.
When will the pink moon peak in Belleville?
The pink moon will peak at 6:49 p.m. Central Daylight Time Tuesday in Belleville, but you might catch a better view later as the sun sets at 7:44 p.m.
The moon will appear full from Monday morning to Thursday morning, NASA reports.
We are sharing some of our favorite tips for capturing the moon at its best using your iPhone - It's actually way more fun than you might think! Learn about each moon phase here: https://t.co/DosGImJUY6 pic.twitter.com/50t9ZTDN3h
— The Farmers' Almanac (@FarmersAlmanac) April 15, 2024
The National Weather Service St. Louis office forecasts Tuesday night will be partly cloudy with a 20% chance of showers and a low around 48 degrees Fahrenheit, as of Thursday.
Illinois stargazers will get to enjoy a meteor shower in early May when the Eta Aquarids make their way across the sky. The meteor shower will peak the night of May 4, according to astronomy publication Space.com, and should be more visible than the 2023 Aquarids because the moon won’t interfere as much.
More full moons in 2024
If you don’t get a chance to see this month’s pink moon, you’ll still have eight more opportunities to see a full moon in 2024.
Here’s this year’s full moon calendar, with information from Space.com:
May 23: Flower moon
June 21: Strawberry moon
July 21: Buck moon
Aug. 19: Sturgeon moon (supermoon and blue moon)
Sept. 17: Harvest moon (supermoon and partial lunar eclipse)
Oct. 17: Hunter’s moon (supermoon)
Nov. 15: Beaver moon (supermoon)
Dec. 15: Cold moon
Full moons have multiple names, and many come from Indigenous cultures. The Farmers’ Almanac uses Indigenous moon names, along with monikers from colonial America and other North American sources.
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