The Pink
super Moon
by Elisa C. ‘24
The first supermoon of 2021 illuminated the night sky on Monday, April 26, reaching its brightest phase at 11:32 p.m. EDT. Supermoons occur during a full moon when the Earth is in the closest orbit to the moon. While they are relatively common, this year’s pink supermoon had more people anticipating its arrival, waiting to celebrate the moon’s religious significance, astrological purposes, and sheer beauty.
Despite its name, the moon itself does not actually appear pink. It received its name from the early spring flower, the wild ground phlox (also known as herb moss pink, creeping phlox, moss phlox, moss pink, and mountain phlox). According to Color Psychology, the color pink is a sign of optimism. The pink moon provides people with hope after a long winter, especially during a wearisome pandemic year. The blossoming of flowers represents the cycle of starting fresh and mirrors the moon’s meaning of new beginnings. Even when the flowers are gone and life is bleak, there is the assurance that the flowers will bloom again and life will get better.
The moon’s appearance also held religious significance to Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists. For Eastern Christians, this was the last full moon before Easter. For Hindus, this was the full moon day of the Hindu lunar month, Chaitra, where they celebrate the birth of Lord Hanuman. And for Buddhists, this moon corresponds with Bak Poya or Bak Full Moon Poya Day. This national holiday commemorates the Buddha’s second visit to Sri Lanka during the fifth year of his Enlightenment. All of these religious celebrations connect to the theme of resilience and strength through difficult times. On Easter, Jesus Christ rose from the dead; Lord Hanuman symbolizes strength and energy, working against evil; Bak Poya prevented war by settling a dispute between chiefs in Sri Lanka.
Furthermore, there is an astrological significance to the pink moon. A week before the event, astrologer Lisa Stardust said that on the evening of the supermoon, “its gravitational pull will be felt emotionally in many ways. Feelings will run deep, truths will be revealed, the desire to commit to others will be strong and the need to change with the times will be essential to personal growth.” Stardust explains how the moon’s presence will invoke new emotions within people, connecting individuals to others, themselves, and the natural world.
Both the religious and astrological relationship with the pink moon made spectators feel connected to something beyond this world. Its presence gave people something to anticipate and be excited about.
But, if you missed the event, don’t worry because the next supermoon will appear on June 14, 2022. Many others will also be looking forward to its arrival, and to quote Twitter user Tanya Tyagi (@/tanyatyagii), “O beloved moon / Fear not the dawn / That separates us. / For we will meet again, / When the world / Goes to sleep.”
Photo Courtesy of google.com