🌙 Moon Phases April 2026: See all lunar phases for April 2026 including new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter dates. Updated with accurate astronomical data.
About April 2026 moon phases
On April 1, 2026, April's full moon — the Pink Moon — does not actually appear pink. The name comes from creeping phlox (Phlox subulata), the bright-pink wildflower that blooms across eastern North America in early April. Indigenous Algonquian peoples named the moon after this seasonal marker. The Pink Moon often marks Passover and is closely linked to Easter dating.
Benefits
- ·Lists Passover and Hanuman Jayanti dates
- ·Pairs with peak spring-bloom photography windows
- ·Tracks the spring crop planting cycle
- ·Marks the cherry-blossom full-moon viewing tradition
- ·Shows any overlap with Easter date
How it works
the April 2026 full moon peaks on April 1, 2026. Throughout 2026, the moon completes 12-13 full cycles, each lasting 29.53 days. Distance from Earth varies between 356,500 km (perigee) and 406,700 km (apogee), creating supermoon and micromoon size differences of about 14%. Full-moon timing data on this page comes from the US Naval Observatory and NASA Goddard.
Hindu tradition calls April's full moon Hanuman Jayanti, celebrating the birth of the deity Hanuman. In the Theravada Buddhist calendar, this moon coincides with Bak Poya, marking the Buddha's third visit to Sri Lanka. Despite the rich cultural overlap, the moon's color remains the standard yellow-white of any other full moon.
Who uses April 2026 moon phases
Photographers planning moonrise shots 2026, April-specific cultural and religious observers, astrology readers tracking April transits, fishermen and surfers reading tide cycles, and anyone curious about which full moon comes next.
Moon Phases April 2026
Moon phases for April 2026. Full Moon on April 1. New Moon on April 17. See daily moon illumination, lunar calendar, and all phases.
Related
Frequently asked questions
When is the full moon in April 2026?
The full moon in April 2026 falls on April 1, 2026. The exact peak time is shown in the major phases table above. This full moon is traditionally called the Pink Moon in the Old Farmer's Almanac, a name traceable to Algonquian and other Indigenous American sources.
Why is April's full moon called the Pink Moon?
The Pink Moon does not actually appear pink. The name comes from the early-spring blooming of pink wildflowers (creeping phlox) in eastern North America. Indigenous Algonquian peoples named the April full moon for this seasonal marker.
When is the new moon in April 2026?
The new moon in April 2026 falls on April 17. New moons are not visible because the moon's lit side faces away from Earth. They are the best night-sky observing nights — without moonlight, fainter stars and meteors become visible.
Why do moon phases shift by date each month?
A complete lunar cycle (synodic month) is 29.53 days, slightly shorter than most calendar months. So each month's full moon falls about 0.5-2 days earlier in the calendar than the previous month's. Occasionally a calendar month contains two full moons — the second is called a "blue moon" (about once every 2.7 years).