April full moon 2026 dazzles as ‘Pink Moon’ lights up skies worldwide (photos)
April’s full “Pink Moon” dazzled stargazers with an excellent show of moonlight on April 1, mere hours earlier than NASA’s Artemis 2 mission launched 4 astronauts on a 10-day journey to the far facet of the moon.
The April full moon can also be recognized as the Pink Moon in North America, in reference to the ground-blooming plant phlox, which flowers in early spring in areas of the US During a full moonthe lunar disk seems utterly lit from our perspective on Earth as it travels reverse the sun in our sky.
“We have a beautiful moon rising, we’re headed right at it,” mentioned Artemis 2 mission commander Wiseman to floor management, minutes later enduring a bone-shaking ride up by way of Earth’s environment. That similar moon rose over billions of stargazers unfold throughout the globe, together with numerous photographers who’ve already shared jaw-dropping photos of the lunar spectacle.
Read on to see a collection of unbelievable images of the April full moon. If you missed it final evening, there is no want to stress, as the lunar disk will nonetheless seem nearly full to the bare eye over the approaching nights. Check out our daily breakdown of the Artemis 2 mission to find what the astronauts shall be getting up to as they journey across the moon and remember to keep up up to now with the most recent information with our mission live blog.
Gorgeous images of the April full moon
Our first picture was taken by photographer Josh Dury Using a 600mm telephoto lens within the early hours of April 2, as the full Pink Moon loomed low over the western horizon above a trio of crosses lining the Brent Knoll in Somerset, UK.
“I was drawn to the astronomical timing of ‘moveable feasts’ based on the paschal full moon; the first to occur on or after March 21,” Dury advised Space.com. “With The Passover coinciding with the first full moon of spring and Easter falling on the first Sunday after the spring full moon. As is the case this year, the full paschal moon was due this morning on Thursday 2nd April and Easter this coming Sunday, the 5th April.”
Gregg Newton captured the April full moon as it rose over the eastern horizon from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 1, with the enormous countdown clock showing the amount of time elapsed since the launch of the Artemis 2 moon rocket.
That same moon was captured from 925 miles (1,490 kilometers) away by Lokman Vural Elibol as it glowed between the illuminated tips of the Empire State Building and another New York skyscraper.
Gary Hershorn captured those same skyscrapers as the moon passed behind the spire of the Empire State Building from Union City, New Jersey, revealing more of the urban skyline as artificial and natural light teamed up to illuminate the night.
This spectacular view of the yellow full moon was captured by Kirill Kudryavstev from the city of Frankfurt, Germany, as a Boeing 777 commercial jet skimmed across the bottom of the lunar disk, leaving atmospheric distortion in its wake.
Returning to the theme of lunar exploration, Luis Robayo snapped this well-timed image of the lunar disk as it hung over an obelisk in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. A massive Artemis 2 Space Launch System rocket can be seen projected onto the monument, apparently ready to launch on its own mission to the moon.
This beautifully detailed shot of the moon was captured on March 31 from Miami, Florida by Megan Briggs, the night before it reached its full moon phase. Ancient lava fields can be seen as dark lunar maria marring the silvery lunar surface, which themselves are threaded with bright streaks of reflective debris spread across the surface by violent asteroid strikes.
Kirill Kudrayavtsev, meanwhile, opted to place a foreground object in his composition, creating a beautifully contrasting image as the black silhouette of the weathervane of the Church of the Three Kings lay across the glowing yellow moon.
In Washington DC, photographer J. David Ake was able to image Earth’s natural satellite as it glowed above the Lincoln Memorial, keeping “Honest Abe” company, even as clouds streaked its ancient surface.
Finally, Apu Gomes took in the scene as the Pink Moon rose over California’s Venice Beach, surrounded by palm trees as it took to the early spring sky.
Feeling inspired to capture your own photos of Earth’s natural satellite? Then be sure to check out our guide to photographing the moontogether with our picks of the best cameras and lenses for astrophotography.
Editor’s Note: If you wish to share your astrophotography with Space.com’s readers, then please ship your photograph(s), feedback, and your identify and site to spacephotos@area.com.
