Jupiter to rise with the Full ‘Pink’ Moon on Monday night

This astronomy blog was written by AccuWeather Meteorologist Brian Lada.

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Stargazers are in for a treat early this week as Jupiter rises in tandem with the full moon.

Monday night will feature this month’s full moon, rising in the east right around sunset and shining bright in the sky all night long.

April’s full moon has many different nicknames, but the most common is the “Full Pink Moon.”

“This full moon heralded the appearance of the moss pink, or wild ground phlox—one of the first spring flowers,” The Old Farmer’s Almanac said.

Other nicknames given to April’s full moon include the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon and the Fish Moon.

“[These names] were used by early Colonial Americans—who learned the names from the local Native Americans; time was not recorded by using the months of the Julian or Gregorian calendar,” The Old Farmer’s Almanac said.

The Full 'Strawberry' Moon rising on June 20, 2016. (Photo/Frank Little)

Despite its name, the moon will not appear pink in the sky all night long.

However, the moon may temporarily take a pink or relish color just as it rises due to an atmospheric phenomenon called rayleigh scattering. This is the same mechanism that causes sunrises and sunsets to appear orange and red.

Last August, the full ‘strawberry’ moon made headlines when it rose and appeared a rusty orange color before gradually transitioning to its normal white appearance.

The Moon and Jupiter will rise in the east on Monday night. (Image/EarthSky)

Monday night will also be a great night for people to easily spot Jupiter as it will be sitting right alongside the full moon.

Just a few nights ago, Jupiter reached opposition, or the point in its orbit where it is closest to the Earth. This causes it to shine bigger and brighter than it does at any other point in the year.

Due to its brightness and proximity to the moon, it should be easy for stargazers of all ages to spot Jupiter with ease.

The proximity of the two objects in the sky will provide a great opportunity for photographers to capture the full moon and Jupiter in the same frame.

With the right camera and proper settings, some photographers may even take a photo showing Jupiter and its four largest moons next to our own moon!

If you take any photos of the moon or Jupiter, be sure to send them to us on Twitter or on Facebook.