Pink micromoon, then an ‘elusive’ meteor shower to be visible over Illinois soon
Illinois 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 7:22 p.m. Central Daylight Time Saturday, April 12, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. The sun will set in Belleville at 7:34 p.m. April 12, according to online clock Time and Date.
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 8:30 a.m. Central Daylight Time that day, though the exact peak time is uncertain. Since it will be light outside by then in Belleville, 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 St. Louis Astronomical Society will host a stargazing event from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17 at Bluebird Park in Ellisville, Mo.
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