The Pink Moon is ushering us in the month of April. While it won’t actually be pink (rude, I know!) it will be big, bright and worth stepping outside for. Here’s when to see it in NZ, where to look and a simple moon ritual to try.
If you, like me, are looking forward to seeing the moon turn pink tonight – sorry, that’s not exactly what the cosmos have planned for us this week. What it does have planned, though, is three gorgeous evenings to go outside and make the most of April’s full moon.
What Actually is a Pink Moon? (And Why Isn’t It Pink?!)
The Pink Moon has nothing to do with the colour of the moon itself. The April full moon’s name was coined from phlox subulata, a pink wildflower native to North America that blooms in early spring. (It’s got nothing to do with us here in Aotearoa, unfort, as we are well into autumn.) The Older Farmer’s Almanac, which has been publishing planting charts, recipes, moon and sunrise times and weather forecasts since 1792, notes that the phlox subulata was often called “moss pink” and was in full bloom around April’s full moon.
When’s The Best Time to Watch It?
Look, if you did a Google search “pink moon best time nz”, the Google AI summary will lead you astray. (It fooled me for a minute, saying New Zealand’s best time to watch the full moon was on April 1, 11.11pm! It actually means New Zealand in Prince Edward Island, Canada – not Aotearoa. Do I have to watch out for April Fools’ pranks from AI now too?!)
Here’s the real deal for Aotearoa. The Pink Moon reaches peak fullness at 3:11pm on April 2, Thursday, in broad daylight, so we annoyingly won’t see a thing. But I swear it’s not all bad news. While it technically reaches ‘fullness’ in the arvo, our naked eyes won’t be able to see the difference at night. So these are the best viewing windows, according to Time and Date:
- Wednesday 1 April: Moonrise will be between roughly 6:35 and 6:40 PM across New Zealand. The moon will be 97% illuminated – it’s essentially full!
- Thursday 2 April: Moonrise between roughly 6:55 and 7:05 PM across New Zealand. The moon will be at 99.6% illumination.
- Friday 3 April: Moonrise around 7:20–7:30 PM at 99.7% illumination. Technically the most illuminated evening of the three, and it’s a Friday night!
Where’s The Best Spot To See It?
For all three evenings, look to the eastern horizon around sunset. Watching a full moon rise is honestly a magical experience. It’s also key to find spots with clear, unobstructed views of the eastern horizon, ideally with low light pollution for us city folks.
In Tāmaki Makarau Auckland, head to an east-facing beach, waterfront or hill. Think Mt Eden, Castor Bay or Mission Bay.
For Dark Sky fanatics, here’s our comprehensive list for the best spots in Aotearoa.
Should I Do A Full Moon Ritual? And How?!
A full moon marks the peak of a lunar cycle – and while it does signal an ending, it also gives us its peak illumination. In astrology, it’s a chance to slow down, reflect and let go of things that may no longer serve you. This is also aligned with the viral ‘April Theory’, where some people are convinced April is actually the real new year.
So, if you want to release some burdens during the Pink Moon, here’s a moon ritual spiritual coach Gaia Chinniah shared with Capsule back in 2023:
“Make yourself a warming and heart-opening hot mug of cacao, light a beautiful candle and some incense, play some gentle music and write down what you don’t want to carry anymore – a handwritten note to yourself of your burdens to be released, and the acknowledgement of any resistance towards doing so. You may want to burn this note or cleanse the letter with the smoke of the incense. Then go outside, and silently or out loud, speak to the Universe about the gateways you want help opening for the rest of the year. Express your gratitude for all that has come to your realisation at this time in your life.”
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About the Author:
Vivien Beduya is a video journalist and content creator at Capsule. She’s most passionate about inclusive storytelling that centres underserved communities, women’s health, mental health, travel, food and the ways technology shapes our everyday lives. She made a bold (and terrifying) career switch to journalism in her late 20s after years across banking, insurance and travel.
She’s worked for NewstalkZB and TVNZ’s youth news platform Re: News, and has also been published on 1News, NZ Herald, and Stuff. She was selected by the Asia New Zealand Foundation as an emerging journalist for the Splice Beta 2025 delegation in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Vivien lives in Auckland with her partner, close(ish) to the beach, and is always on the hunt for Auckland’s best affordable eats.
You can read other stories by Vivien here or email her here.
