What Is A ‘Pink Micromoon’ And Why Will Illinois And Iowa See One This Weekend?

Better question: why does it seem like so much once-in-a-lifetime cosmic stuff is happening?

I find space interesting but over the last few years, it seems like every few months there's some kind of monumental planetary event. And half the time, you'll miss it if you don't wake up at 3:26 a.m. to see it.

Now, we're in for another specific one on Saturday, though this one isn't a rare one for 2025. We'll get a few more of these.

According to NBC Chicago, we're going to get a pink micromoon on Friday night. You know the supermoons are the bright, huge moons. Micromoons are dim. Supermoons look like this one, as seen from Illinois:

You might think a pink micromoon would be a little pink blob in the sky. It's little, but it's not pink.

Astrophysicist Alain Brizard from Saint Michael's College told NBC Chicago that "it's a very subtle difference". If you want to see it, go outside Saturday night and look up from an area that has a clear view of the moon (facing the eastern horizon). You'll have to look closely.

Why It Happens And The Beliefs Behind It

Scientifically, a micromoon happens when the moon is at it's furthest point away from Earth. Conversely, a supermoon happens when the moon is the closest to Earth.

The April full moon has beliefs associated with it. Britannica says that Native Americans call it the pink moon after a kind of early-blooming wildflower (which are creeping phlox).

Bonus part of this cosmic thing: it should happen early. According to Forbes, the best visibility of the pink moon this weekend will be at 7:23 central time. I can work with that.