Thursday, April 6, 2023
On the beach between Boardwalk 1 and 2
Sunset – 7:42 pm
Moonrise – 8:25 pm
High Tide – 9:26 pm
Full Pink Moon
Start the Easter weekend with a Full Moon Bonfire on the beach. The forecast is for a partly cloudy night with temperatures in the upper 60s. The fire will primarily be for ambiance, perfect for a great time on the beach with family and friends.
The date for Easter is determined by the moon. Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox (March 20, 2023). This full moon is also called the Paschal Full Moon. The moon also determines the dates for Passover. The date of Passover is in accordance with the first full moon in the Hebrew calendar month, Nissan. This year, Passover is from April 5 through April 13.
To keep things simple, each person brings what they want: food, drinks, chairs, and a stick of firewood for a big bonfire. Nothing will be provided but a beautiful beach, a bonfire, and, hopefully, a full moon.
People ask if the bonfire will be held if it’s raining. The bonfire will be canceled if it is raining or rain is threatening, as few would be comfortable attending. The bonfire will also be canceled if the temperature is forecast to be below 40°.
By terms of the permit, the fire needs to be out no later than 10:00 pm. The later sunset and moonrise times ease the challenge of scheduling dinner but still give us plenty of time to enjoy the evening.
Other night sky observation opportunities:
- The Internationial Space Station Flyover is 8:52 pm so we can look to the west as the moon rises in the east. The view will be only at 10° so visibility may be limited.
- The next meteor showers aren’t until mid-April when the Lyrid meteor showers should be seen.
- The next SpaceX launch is currently scheduled for Friday, April 7, at 12:29 am. You’ll have to monitor the schedule in case it’s moved earlier.
- No special planet viewing could be found.
Put these dates for the Full Moon Bonfires on your calendar:
Friday, May 5 (yes, Cinco de Mayo)
Saturday, June 3
Sunday, July 2 (to avoid conflict with fireworks)
There’s always plenty of room on the beach for everyone so invite a friend or bring your houseguests.
How the Full Moon Got Its Name:
Per Old Farmer’s Almanac (https://www.almanac.com/content/full-moon-names):
April: Full Pink Moon – This full moon heralded the appearance of the “moss pink,” or wild ground phlox—one of the first spring wildflowers.
Other names:
• Breaking Ice Moon (Algonquin)
• Broken Snowshoe Moon (Anishinaabe)
• Budding Moon of Plants and Shrubs (Tlingit)
• Frog Moon (Cree)
• Moon of the Red Grass Appearing (Oglala)
• Moon When the Ducks Come Back (Lakota)
• Moon When the Geese Lay Eggs (Dakota)
• Moon When the Streams Are Again Navigable (Dakota)
• Sucker Moon (Anishinaabe)
• Sugar Maker Moon (Western Abenaki)
I found another website (http://newsclipper.hubpages.com/hub/The-Moon-Facts-Trivia-and-Folklore) This site also says the Cherokee Indians called it the Flower Moon and the English Medieval name was the Seed Moon.
Another website: (https://www.space.com/16830-full-moon-calendar.html) says the Chinese call it Peony Moon.
Almanac.com also provided these April dates:
Friday, April 7: “National No Housework Day”…my kind of day
Sunday, April 16: “Go Fly a Kite Day”
Monday, April 17: “Blah, Blah, Blah Day”
Saturday, April 22: “Earth Day”
-Submitted by Judy Morr