(NEXSTAR) — April’s full moon – called the Pink Moon – is the first of two supermoons we will see this year, and it will rise late Monday night.
This supermoon will be at its biggest and brightest at 11:31 p.m. ET Monday. Check this moonrise calculator to see when it might start climbing in the sky near you.
A supermoon occurs when the moon is within 90% of perigee, or at one of the closest points to Earth we see. This makes for the biggest, brightest full moons seen all year.
The Pink Moon appears to the naked eye to be full for nearly three days, from Sunday evening until Wednesday morning.
However, it won’t actually look pink. Rather, it will be a golden color near the horizon and will fade to a bright white as it moves overhead, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
The Pink Moon is so named because it corresponded with the early springtime bloom of the wildflower phlox subulata, which is native to eastern North America and is commonly known as “moss pink.”
Other names for April’s full moon — mainly with a nod to spring — include the Fish Moon, Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon and the Fish Moon.
For the best view of the supermoon, find an open area and watch as the moon rises just above the horizon when it will appear its biggest.
In an average year, we see two to four supermoons. This year, the biggest full moons are the April one and the full moon on May 26. May’s full moon will appear to be the biggest of the year, but it will beat Monday’s full moon by only .04%.