Overview
- The year's first full moon reached peak brightness at 10:12 p.m. ET on Wednesday, coinciding with NASA's Artemis II launch of four astronauts toward the moon.
- The bright disk rose close to Spica, the leading star in Virgo, creating a tight pairing visible soon after moonrise.
- The name comes from the spring wildflower phlox rather than the moon’s color, which stays gray though haze near the horizon can tint it orange or red.
- NASA scientist Noah Petro said the moon would still look full on Thursday and urged viewers to find a dark, open spot away from trees and buildings.
- Looking ahead, the next full moon arrives May 1 as the Flower Moon, with a second full moon on May 31 that will be called a blue moon.