A ‘pink moon’ shines over Kansas City this week. Here’s when you should look up

Take a look at the sky Tuesday night and not only will the moon be full, but it will also have a different shade, although not the one you might expect.

Kansas City stargazers will get to look at a so-called pink moon until Thursday morning, according to NASA. The moon reaches its peak at 6:48 p.m. Tuesday, where it will be partly sunny around the area after experiencing some rain that morning.

Before you look up and see the full moon this week, here’s what you need to know.

Why is it called a pink moon?

The moon did not get its name because it turns pink.

It’s called a pink moon because wildflowers bloom in April. Specifically, the flower “moss pink” inspired the name, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

While the moon will not be pink, it will be similar to a blue moon. Its usual bright white color will be marked with spots of gray, according to science website Inverse.

April’s full moon is also called the sprouting grass moon, egg moon, fish moon and other names, according to NASA.

Following the pink moon, Kansas Citians can enjoy a meteor shower in early May when the Eta Aquarids make their way across the sky, according to astronomy publication Space.com. The meteor shower will peak the night of Saturday, May 4.

When are the other full moons in 2024?

If you miss the pink moon, there are eight more opportunities to see a full moon in 2024, according to 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

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