JACKSON, Wyo. — The April full moon is on the rise! The moon will reach its fullest today at 10:34 p.m. and with mostly clear skies, hopefully, it will be big and bright over the Jackson Hole valley.

The moon will rise at 7:39 p.m. this evening, just before the sun sets at 7:54 p.m.

April’s full moon is known as the Pink Moon and the Paschal Full Moon—the first full moon of the spring season which began on March 20 with the spring equinox. The Paschal Moon dictates the date of Easter, which is celebrated on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. This year it’s Sunday, April 9.

While it’s referred to as the Pink Moon, the name has nothing to do with the color of the moon. The full moon corresponds with the early springtime blooms of the wildflower, Phlox subulata, native to eastern North America. Also called the creeping phlox or moss phlox, the plant blooms vibrantly pink.

Phlox subulata. Also known as pink moss, or creeping phlox. Photo: ajari

Other historical names for April’s full moon speak to the changing of seasons spring brings.

The Anishnabe call April’s full moon “the Breaking Ice Moon” and the Isanti people call the full moon “the Moon When the Streams Are Again Navigable,” both references to the melting ice and increased mobility of the early spring season.

The Tlingit people call April’s full moon the “Budding Moon of Plants and Shrubs” and the Oglala call it “the Moon of the Red Grass Appearing”, which speaks to the plant growth that will soon kick into high gear with the coming spring.

Some names for the full moon refer to the reappearance of certain animals, including “Moon When the Ducks Come Back” (Lakota), “Moon When the Geese Lay Eggs” (Dakota), and “Frog Moon” (Iyiniwok).

The Anishinaabeg call April’s full moon “the Sucker Moon” because it is the time to harvest sucker fish, which return to streams or lake shallows to spawn. According to legend, now is the time when this fish comes back from the spirit world to purify bodies of water and the creatures living in them. This name has also been applied to the February Moon, to honor the sacrifice of the sucker fish in order to feed the Anishinaabeg peoples, traditionally helping them to survive the winter.

Lindsay is a contributing reporter covering a little bit of everything; with an interest in local policies and politics, the environment and amplifying community voices. She's curious about uncovering the "whys" of our region and aims to inform the community about the issues that matter. In her free time, you can find her snowboarding, cooking or planning the next surf trip.