SACRAMENTO, Calif —
A full moon known as the “Pink Moon” will peak Tuesday.
Although the moon won’t actually be pink, its illumination will be hard to miss. The full moon began Monday and will be around until Thursday morning, but Tuesday is when it will be at its brightest.
According to the Farmers Almanac, the name “Pink Moon” has long been associated with April’s full moon as flowers begin to bloom, particularly moss pink or creeping ground phlox, which is one of the earliest and most widespread spring flowers.
The Pink Moon coincides with another celestial event, the Lyrid Meteor Shower. Even though the peak of the Lyrid Meteor Shower has already passed, it will still be around until April 29. The combination of a full moon and being past peak will limit the number of meteors, but seeing them is still possible.
The Lyrids are part of space debris from Comet Thatcher discovered in 1861. Each April, they become visible as Earth passes through this debris. They are known for their fast and bright appearance with about 10-20 meteors streaking across the sky every hour during the peak of the shower.
The best time to view the Lyrids is after midnight and in the early morning hours before sunrise. Viewing will be best in places away from city lights under dark skies, such as the foothills or Sierra.
Clouds are expected Tuesday night, ranging from partly to mostly cloudy depending on where you are in Northern California. Temperatures will drop into the lower 50s in the valley, 40s in the foothills and 30s in the Sierra.
The May full moon peaks May 23 and is known as the "Flower Moon."
