"Pink" Full Moon and Partial Lunar Eclipse on April 25, 2013

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TimeThursday, April 25, 2013, 21:00 UT
Phase 100.0%
Diameter - 1962.6 arcseconds
Distance - 365185 km (28.66 Earth diameters

There is a special lunar name for every full moon in a year. The April 25 full moon is known as the “Full Pink Moon” because of the grass pink – or wild ground phlox – flower, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers to bloom in the spring. This month’s full moon is also known as the Sprouting Grass moon and the Egg moon.

The first lunar eclipse of 2013 occurs at the Moon's ascending node in southern Virgo about 12° east of Spica (mv = +1.05). It is visible primarily from the Eastern Hemisphere.

This event will not be visible in North America, it will only be visible from Eastern Europea, Africa, Asia, and Western Australia.

April’s full moon, which is set to rise tonight, is known as a pink moon. And this year it coincides with the partial lunar eclipse.

This NASA animation shows elevation measurements by the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO).

Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

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NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.

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