Why April 12's ‘pink moon’ also called Paschal moon | Exploring its Easter link

The first full moon of spring, also known as the pink moon, will light up the sky on Saturday night, April 12

Published on: Apr 11, 2025, 01:13:28 IST

Edited by Yash Nitish Bajaj

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The first full moon of spring, also known as the pink moon, will light up the sky on Saturday night, April 12. While the moon will not actually be pink in color, it is called the ‘pink moon’ in reference to the blooming of Phlox subulata (moss pink or creeping phlox), a vibrant wildflower that carpets eastern North America in early spring.

A pink moon will be visible on April 12 (X - @bradjperry)

The full moon will be covered in soft orange hues and there is a slight chance it could be seen in the sky at the same time as the northern lights in some northern US states.

April full moon's Easter link

The full moon is also known as the Paschal Moon. It is used to determine the date of Easter (Pascha in Latin) each year. In 2025, Easter falls on Sunday, April 20.

Easter Sunday is set as the first Sunday following this full moon, a rule dating back to the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE. Full moon peaks on April 12 at 8:22 PM EDT (00:22 GMT April 13). That’s a Saturday night, so the next Sunday is April 20—Easter Sunday 2025.

Best time to see the April 12 pink moon

The full moon's best sighting is in an unobstructed vantage point facing the eastern horizon. The best time to see the moon rise will depend on your location. In New York, sunset will happen at 7:32 PM local time with moonrise at 7:31 PM. In Los Angeles, the moonrise is set at 7:26 PM PDT on Saturday, April 12. In London, the sun will set at 7:53 PM BST and the moon will rise at 8:52 PM.

After the April 12 pink moon, the next full moon will be a flower moon on Monday, May 12, 2025. It will be the second full moon this spring - in the Northern Hemisphere. There are 12 full moons in 2025, including three supermoons.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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