Did you see last night’s supermoon known as the ‘Easter Moon’?

Although last night's full moon wasn’t as pink as usual, it was bigger and brighter than the previous four full moons of the year, and even with a bit of light haze, was a spectacular site throughout the islands. But how and why did this particular one it get its name?

It was given its name by the Native Americans, who nicknamed it that way as this date coincides with the flowering of the ‘Moss Flox’, a wild plant that is indeed pink in colour.

This same phenomenon is also known as Luna Pascual, and its meaning on this occasion is related to Semana Santa (Holy Week) and the Lenten calendar, which is established each year according to the phases of the lunar cycle.

As the pink moon is the first full moon of spring, it marks the days of the Easter celebration, and particularly the resurrection, and is why this year Easter Sunday is today, April 17^th.

Last night’s moon rose just after 7:45pm and was fully visible from 7.55pm until 6.35am this morning.