Full moons of 2025: When is the next full moon?

A full pink-colored moon rises against a dark sky

April's full moon is the Pink Moon, rising April 12. It will also be a micromoon, appearing slightly smaller than usual. (Image credit: Getty Images)

When is the next full moon?

April's full moon, nicknamed the Pink Moon, rises on Saturday, April 12. The moon turns full at precisely 8:22 p.m. EDT (00:22 GMT on April 13), according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.

April's full moon will also be a micromoon, which is a full moon that occurs when the moon is near its furthest point from Earth in its current orbit. A micromoon is the opposite of a supermoon, which rises when the full moon is at its closest point to Earth in a given orbit. April's Pink Micromoon will appear slightly smaller in the sky than usual.

The Pink Moon is so named for the pink flowers that bloom this time of year in eastern North America. This month's full moon is also known as the Paschal Moon, and is used to calculate the date of Easter each year. In 2025, Easter falls on Sunday, April 20.

Full moons of 2025: An overview

See For Yourself

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In 2025, you'll have the chance to see 12 full moons, including three supermoons and two lunar eclipses. Although experienced moon gazers know that the night of the full moon is not the best for observing the lunar surface (even with a good pair of binoculars), the full moon rising as an orb at dusk is a celestial view that's hard to beat.

Each full moon has a unique name that reflects its agricultural past. Besides the usual collection of full moons in 2025, there will also be three supermoons (when the moon's monthly perigee, or closest point to Earth, coincides with its full phase) and two total lunar eclipses, the first since 2022.

Full moon guide: When are the full moons of 2025?

Here are all of the full moon dates and times for 2025, according to timeanddate.com, including the most commonly used names in North America:

Monday, Jan. 13: Wolf Moon (22:26 UTC/5:26 p.m. EST)
Wednesday, Feb. 12: Snow Moon (13:52 UTC/8:52 a.m. EST)
Friday, March 14: Worm Moon (6:54 UTC/2:54 a.m. EDT) — also a total lunar eclipse
Saturday, April 12: Pink Moon (0:22 UTC/8:22 p.m. EDT)
Monday, May 12: Flower Moon (16:56 UTC/12:56 p.m. EDT)
Wednesday, June 11: Strawberry Moon (7:45 UTC/3:45 a.m. EDT)
Thursday, July 10: Buck Moon (20:39 UTC/4:39 p.m. EDT)
Saturday, Aug. 9 Sturgeon Moon (7:58 UTC/3:58 a.m. EDT)
Sunday, Sept. 7: Corn Moon (18:12 UTC/2:12 p.m. EDT) — also a total lunar eclipse
Monday, Oct. 6: Harvest Moon (3:50 UTC/11:50 p.m. EDT) — also a supermoon
Wednesday, Nov. 5: Beaver Moon (13:21 UTC/8:21 a.m. EST) — also a supermoon
Thursday, Dec. 4: Cold Moon (23:15 UTC/6:15 p.m. EST) — also a supermoon

Lunar eclipses 2025

The two lunar eclipses in 2025 will be hugely impressive events. The first, on March 13 to 14, will be a total lunar eclipse, during which the full Worm Moon will drift through Earth’s inner umbral shadow and turn a reddish-orange color for 65 minutes from 2:26 to 3:32 a.m. EDT, according to Timeanddate.com. It will be best seen from North and South America.

The second, on Sept. 7 to 8, will be another total lunar eclipse, during which the Harvest Moon will enter Earth’s inner umbral shadow and turn a reddish-orange color for 82 minutes from 1:30 to 2:52 a.m. EDT, according to Timeanddate.com. It will be best seen from Asia and Australia.

What are the moon's phases?

A diagram showing the four major phases of the moon: the first quarter, full moon, third quarter, and new moon — This NASA diagram shows the major lunar phases, and when we can expect them in March 2025 (Image credit: NASA)

Scientists typically break the moon's 29.5-day cycle into 8 phases, determined by the relative positions of the moon, Earth and sun.

The "new moon" begins the cycle when the moon is exactly between Earth and the sun. We cannot see the moon when it's new; no sunlight is reflected from its Earth-facing side. A new moon is the only time when a solar eclipse is possible. Two partial solar eclipses will occur in 2025: on March 29 and Sept. 21.

—How long does it take to travel to the moon?

—Moon quiz: What do you know about our nearest celestial neighbor?

As more sunlight hits the moon's Earth-facing side, we say the moon is waxing. The next phase of the moon is called a waxing crescent, followed by the "first quarter" phase. Half of the moon's visible surface appears illuminated during the first quarter.

Next comes the waxing gibbous moon, which is partway between a first quarter and a full moon. Halfway through the lunar cycle, the full moon rises and the moon shines bright and large in the sky. During this phase, the moon and sun are on opposite sides of Earth, and the moon's entire Earth-facing side is illuminated.

After the full moon, the waning cycle begins — first with the waning gibbous phase, then a "last quarter moon" and finally a waning crescent. After almost 30 days, the moon becomes "new" again, and the cycle repeats.

Editor's note: This article is updated monthly. It was last updated on April 2, with accurate information about the full Pink Micromoon rising on April 12.

Jamie Carter is a freelance journalist and regular Live Science contributor based in Cardiff, U.K. He is the author of A Stargazing Program For Beginners and lectures on astronomy and the natural world. Jamie regularly writes for Space.com, TechRadar.com, Forbes Science, BBC Wildlife magazine and Scientific American, and many others. He edits WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com.

With contributions from