Don’t miss a pink micromoon, then ‘elusive’ meteor shower over Pennsylvania soon
Pennsylvania stargazers will get a chance to see the full “pink” micromoon peak soon, as well as the Lyrid meteor shower.
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.
Full moons have multiple names, and many come from Indigenous cultures. The almanac uses Indigenous moon names, along with monikers from colonial America and other North American sources.
The celestial event will be a “micromoon” because the moon will be at its farthest point from earth, the opposite of a supermoon. Micromoons appear slightly smaller and dimmer than typical full moons.
The full moon will peak at 8:22 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time Saturday, April 12, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. The sun will set in State College at 7:48 p.m. that day, according to online clock Time and Date. Saturday night will be “mostly cloudy” in State College, with a chance of showers, the National Weather Service forecasts.
In addition to the full moon, the Lyrid meteor shower will also be visible in April. The shower should peak the morning of Tuesday, April 22, astronomy publication Space.com reports. The Lyrids can be “elusive,” according to Space.com, and peak activity may only last a few hours.
The Lyrids should peak around 9:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time that day, though the exact peak time is uncertain. Since it will be light by then in State College, the predawn hours might be a better time to look.
Under dark skies near the peak, stargazers could see up to 15 meteors per hour, NASA reports.
Full moons in 2025
After the pink moon, stargazers will have eight more opportunities to see a full moon this year. Here’s when to look, from Astronomy.com:
Monday, May 12: Flower moon
Wednesday, June 11: Strawberry moon
Thursday, July 10: Buck moon
Saturday, Aug. 9: Sturgeon moon
Sunday, Sept. 7: Corn moon
Monday, Oct. 6: Hunter’s moon (supermoon)
Wednesday, Nov. 5: Beaver moon (supermoon)
Thursday, Dec. 4: Cold moon (supermoon)
The Central Pennsylvania Observers will host a free, public stargazing event from 9 to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at Penn State Arboretum.
