The next full moon of 2024 will rise tonight!
The 4th full moon of the year rises across North Georgia tonight and is widely known as the “Pink Moon.” This is a special full moon for us since we will see the moon just about 30 minutes after it is actually 100% full.
The full moon occurs at 7:48 p.m. E.D.T. and the moon will rise from Cornelia just a few minutes later at 8:12.
If you can catch the moon near the horizon, it will appear especially large thanks to the horizon effect, an optical illusion that makes things far away appear bigger when viewed against closer objects on the horizon.
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the “pink” moon gets its name from the springtime blooms of the creeping phlox or moss phlox, a type of flower. Interestingly, this flower is native mainly to the Appalachian Mountains, including North Georgia, giving us a special connection!
Native American tribes had many names for this full moon, including the Breaking Ice Moon, used by the Algonquin tribe to signify the rivers of the far north melting and allowing easier travel. The Cree tribe of Canada referred to it as the “frog” moon since many frogs are coming out of winter hibernation and laying eggs. You’ve probably been hearing the Spring Peepers locally for quite some time, but farther north, they are just now waking up.
Luckily, clear to partly cloudy skies are expected this evening, along with temperatures in the low-60s, which makes for great moon-gazing weather. Enjoy!
