Moon
Moon

The April full has something rather special for skywatchers. The full Pink will brighten the skies for a full weekend.

This month's full will reach peak illumination at 2:57 p.m. Saturday, but it will appear full for about three days starting Friday morning until early Monday morning. According to NASA, this means that April will have a full weekend, giving skywatchers a lot of time to enjoy the sight of our satellite.

Just like all the other full s, this one also comes with many names including the ones used by the Old Farmer's Almanac. One of them is "Pink ," although it doesn't mean the will have a pink hue. Instead, it is derived from the "moss pink" (Phlox subulata) wildflower native to eastern North America, which is said to be among the earliest flowers in springtime.

As the first full of spring, it also has other names that are related to the season, including the Algonquin "Breaking Ice ," the Tlingit "Budding of Plants and Shrubs" and the Dakota " When the Streams Are Again Navigable." Other names also pertain to the reappearance of animals in the season, such as the Cree "Frog " and the Lakota " When the Ducks Come Back," the Old Farmer's Almanac noted.

Skywatchers may also want to peek at some other celestial bodies while enjoying the site of our satellite on the evening of the full . For instance, the bright star Spica will be approximately nine degrees on the upper right side of the . The planet Mercury will be just two degrees over the horizon, while the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius, will be 24 degrees above the southwestern horizon, according to NASA.

As always, darker skies make for the best stargazing spots. Locations that are farther from city lights may help one see more stars because it's farther away from light pollution. This image from the International Dark-Sky Association may help skywatchers see just how different the skies are from an inner city to a suburban area and an excellent site with dark skies.

The full is pictured from Rome, Italy, early on Nov. 24, 2018. Photo: Laurent Emmanuel/AFP/Getty Images