The full moon rises over Santa Cruz Saturday night. April’s full moon is called the Pink Moon, and it’s also a “micromoon” because it will be at its farthest point from Earth during its full phase. The Jewish holiday of Passover, which began Saturday at sunset, always begins on the night of a full moon, specifically the first full moon after the spring equinox. This is because the Hebrew calendar, which determines the date of Passover, is a lunar calendar. While Passover and Easter both take place in the spring and are related to significant events in their respective faiths, they do not always occur at the same time. They are calculated using different calendars, leading to variations in their dates. Easter is tied to the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox, while Passover is determined by the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nisan, which is always a full moon. The spring equinox, a time of renewal and balance, is celebrated by various cultures and groups, including Druids, Wiccans, Zoroastrians, and those celebrating Nowruz (the Persian New Year), among others. While there isn’t a specific Muslim holiday that directly corresponds to the spring equinox, and the spring equinox is a significant event in the calendar, it doesn’t hold the same religious importance within the Islamic faith as holidays like Ramadan or Eid al-Fitr. (Shmuel Thaler – Santa Cruz Sentinel)
