Full Pink Supermoon: How To See April's Bright Orb In NJ

NEW JERSEY — If the weather cooperates in New Jersey, the third supermoon of the year is worth getting out of your house to view Tuesday night. The April full moon, also known as the "full pink moon," is the largest of four consecutive supermoons.

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This cosmic distraction from the serious threat of the new coronavirus, however brief, is a great chance to get outside, while practicing social distancing and wearing a do-it-yourself face mask — the latest a recommendation from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to control the spread of the virus.

Clouds could get in the way of prime viewing in New Jersey. There's a 50 percent chance of showers on Tuesday night, with some clouds in the forecast. The temperature low is around 50 degrees.

The supermoon will shine brightly all night long, climbing to its highest point around 12:21 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time Tuesday in New Jersey.

But the best times to get out and enjoy it are when it comes up and when it sets. In New Jersey, moonrise is at 7:10 p.m. Tuesday and moonset is at 7:10 a.m. Wednesday.

And despite its moniker, the April full pink supermoon is not a rosy orb. It'll take on its typical golden hue as it rises, then turn bright white as it climbs higher in the sky.It's called a pink moon because the April full moon closely corresponds to the emergence of the bright pink phlox flowers. The April full moon may also be called the sprouting grass moon, the egg moon and the fish moon.

The first to occur after the spring equinox, the April full moon is also called the Paschal full moon because it determines the date of Easter, the "movable feast" that falls on a different date each year. Easter always follows the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon.

You'll likely see some websites that say the April full moon is the second supermoon of the year. Astronomers and astrologists disagreed on whether the February full moon was a supermoon. Space.com settles the dispute by calling it "kind of a supermoon."

Though the February full moon's supermoon status was questioned, astronomers and astrologists agree the March, April and May full moons qualify for the designation.

Of all of the supermoons, this is the one to see. It will be closer to Earth than the one in March and the upcoming supermoon on May 7.

One other thing to look forward to in April, besides the supermoon, is the beginning of spring and summer meteor showers.

The Lyrid meteor shower runs April 16-25, peaking on the 22nd and 23rd. It's not the best of the year, reliably producing only around 20 meteors an hour, but enough of them have bright dust trails that it's worth searching for them in the early morning sky. A relatively new moon will make for dark skies and ideal viewing conditions.

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