Super ‘pink moon’ set to glow this month: How to watch from anywhere

Super pink moon. Pink supermoon. Whatever you want to call it, we’re in for a visual treat when the full moon rises in the night sky on Monday, April 26. You can plan to catch it in person or livestream it online.

While this moon is known as the pink moon, that’s not a reference to its actual color. NASA notes it’s “a name that comes from the herb moss pink, also known as creeping phlox, moss phlox, or mountain phlox, which is native to the eastern US, and one of the earliest widespread flowers of spring.”

Many of the evocative nicknames for full moons can be traced to the Farmers’ Almanac, which says the April moon is also known as the full sprouting grass moon and the egg moon.

The pink moon is a supermoon, meaning it may appear slightly larger and brighter than usual. This happens when the full moon is also near its closest point to Earth. The moon doesn’t orbit our planet in a perfect circle, so sometimes it’s closer to us than at other times.

The easiest way to catch the moon is to simply step outside after dark and look for the big round lantern in the sky. If you have binoculars handy, be sure to take a closer peek at its beautifully pockmarked surface.

The Virtual Telescope Project will livestream the moon rising over Rome starting at 10:15 a.m. PT on Monday. You can access the viewing party through the project’s WebTV page.

According to NASA, the moon will be opposite the sun at 8:31 p.m. PT on April 26. If you miss that exact time or clouds get in the way of your viewing experience, don’t fret. The moon will appear full from Sunday evening through Wednesday morning, giving you plenty of chances to enjoy the show.