Rare Full "Pink Moon" Lights Up The Sky: All You Need To Know

Sprouting Grass Moon, Egg Moon, Fish Moon, Pesach and Passover Moon are among the many names of the rare full "Pink Moon" that illuminated the night sky this weekend.

The full Moon illuminated the sky this entire weekend and was at its peak fullness on April 17 at 12.15 am.

The "Pink Moon" is named so not because the moon appeared in pink colour. It is called so because the full moon of April was named after the herb moss pink, also known as creeping phlox, moss phlox - a plant native to the eastern US - one of the earliest widespread flowers of spring.

For Buddhists, especially in Sri Lanka, this full moon is Bak Poya, commemorates Buddha's visit to Sri Lanka where he is said to have settled a dispute between chiefs, thereby avoiding a war.

For Hindus, this full moon corresponds with Hanuman Jayanti, the celebration of the birth of Lord Hanuman, celebrated in most areas on the full moon day of the Hindu lunar month of Chaitra.

In the Christian ecclesiastical calendar, this moon is called the Paschal Moon. Usually, the Christian holiday of Easter, also known as Pascha, is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full Moon of spring.