When to See the Full Moon in April
April’s Full Moon is at its most illuminated at 02:11 UTC on April 2, 2026.
The Moon always appears full in the days before and after peak illumination. Full Moon is the only phase where the Moon is up all night, with moonrise and moonset occurring around sunset and sunrise.
See where the Moon is right nowMoon Phase Times April 2026
Moon phases are divided into primary and intermediate: Primary Moon phases happen at a specific moment in time, while the intermediate Moon phases occupy the times in between.
The Opposite of the Harvest Moon
Because this Full Moon is close to the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, it has the opposite effect of what happens around the Harvest Full Moon around the autumn (fall) equinox.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the Harvest Moon is a phenomenon where, at the Full Moon closest to the September equinox, the Moon rises at around the same time for a few evenings in a row.
At the Full Moon closest to the March equinox, on the other hand, the Moon sets at a similar time for a few mornings in a row—while the time of moonrise changes a lot.
The further north you are, the more pronounced the effect. Below is an example for London in the UK. In the four days around Full Moon on April 2, the time of moonset changes by less than 40 minutes. Meanwhile, the time of moonrise shifts by almost 4 hours.
In the Southern Hemisphere, everything is reversed: At the Full Moon closest to the March equinox, moonrise times vary less from one day to the next than moonset times.
Find Moon rise and set times for your city
The Moon & Planets in April
Every month, the Moon completes one circuit around the sky, passing through the same 12 or so constellations that the Sun does over the course of a year.
Along the way, the Moon sweeps by each of the planets. This month’s notable close approaches are as follows:
- April 18, Moon-Venus-Pleiades: The ultra-thin Waxing Crescent Moon meets up with Venus and the Pleiades star cluster. See it on our Night Sky Map for New York in the early evening sky.
- April 22, Moon-Jupiter: The Moon hangs close to Jupiter in the early evening. Look for the stars Pollux and Castor, too—they are the “heads” of the constellation Gemini. See the view from Sydney at 20:00 (8 pm) local time.
- April 25, Moon-Regulus: The star Regulus will be very close as the Moon sweeps by just after First Quarter. Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo. See what it looks like from London.
The above close approaches are visible from more or less any part of the world—we’ve included the examples from our Night Sky Map to give you a taste of the view from different cities.
When Will Artemis II Fly Around the Moon?
NASA’s Artemis II spacecraft had fuel issues in its last launch window in early March and consequently got moved back to the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, US.
On March 20, the rocket was slowly transported to the launch pad, opening up for potential launch dates of April 1 to April 6.
Artemis II will be a 10-day “flyby” mission that carries four astronauts around the far side of the Moon.
Artemis II will carry a piece of the Wright Brothers’ planeWhat Do We Call This Full Moon?
The Full Moon in April is known as the Pink Moon, named for the pink Phlox flowers that bloom in North America at this time.
Native American names refer to spring thaw and new growth, like Breaking Ice Moon and the Moon of the Red Grass Appearing. European names are also inspired by spring including Budding Moon, Seed Moon, Awakening Moon, and Egg Moon.
Frequently Asked Moon Questions
When is the next Full Moon?
This month’s Full Moon is on April 2 at 02:11 UTC. It is the third Full Moon of 2026. The next Full Moon will be on May 1.
Does the Full Moon affect moods?
Overall, there has been little hard evidence to prove that the Moon has a measurable effect on human physiology and behavior.
When was the last Blue Moon?
The last Blue Moon was on August 19, 2024; the next Blue Moon is on May 31, 2026.