Finding Easter

As as Astronomist I am often asked “How do they calculate the date of Easter?”, so here goes.

The simple answer is that Easter Sunday is on the first Sunday after the first full Moon on or after the Vernal equinox. The Vernal Equinox took place this year on March 20th and the first full moon after that was on April 2nd.

I say “simple” answer above because it isn’t quite how the date of Easter is reckoned for purposes of the liturgical calendar.

For a start, the ecclesiastical calculation of the date for Easter – the computus – assumes that the Vernal Equinox is always on March 21st, while in reality these days it is more frequently 20th March, like this year.

On top of that there’s the issue of what reference time and date to use. The equinox is a precisely timed astronomical event but it occurs at different times and possibly on different days in different time zones. Likewise the full Moon. In the ecclesiastical calculation the “full moon” does not currently correspond directly to any astronomical event, but is instead the 14th day of a lunar month, as determined from tables (see below). It may differ from the date of the actual full moon by up to two days.

There have been years (1974, for example) where the official date of Easter does not coincide with the date determined by the simple rule given above. The actual rule is a complicated business involving Golden Numbers and Metonic cycles and whatnot.

Here is excerpt from the Book of Common Prayer that shows Anglicans how to determine the date of Easter for any year up to 2199:

The calculations are based on the approximately 19-year metonic cycle., which is why the above table will not work indefinitely

For this year we find that (2026+1) ÷19=106 with a remainder of 13 (106 × 19 being 2014). The Golder Number for this year is therefore 13, or XIII in the Table. This gives the date of the Paschal Full Moon, which occured this year on 2nd April, which is indeed the day in the centre column next to XIII in the left-hand column in the table. The Sunday Letter is determined by the remainder of (2026+506+6)÷7, which is 4, so this year’s Sunday Letter is D. The date of Easter Sunday is given by the entry in the centre column next to the first occurrence of D in the right-hand column after the Golden Number XIII appears in the left-hand column, i.e. April 5th. I hope this clarifies the situation.

The Light Side of The Moon… So what’s this thing called a ‘Pink Moon’?

It’s April Fool’s Day today, sure, but one other thing you might be hearing about is something called a ‘pink moon’.

The Pink Moon of 2026 rises with quiet symbolism, reaching peak illumination on April 1 at 10:12 p.m. EDT but falling on April 2 for observers across Australia.

Despite its evocative name, the moon itself will not glow pink. Instead, the title traces back to seasonal cues, particularly the early spring blooms of wildflowers such as creeping phlox in North America. In the past, though, some people believe they’ve seen shades of pink in it

As the April full moon, the Pink Moon has long been associated with renewal and transition. In the Northern Hemisphere it marks the firm arrival of spring, a time when landscapes soften and life re-emerges. In the southern hemisphere, there is the arrival of autumn. Across cultures, it carries a variety of names tied to growth and seasonal change, reinforcing its role as a natural calendar marker.

One thing is for sure – it is a full moon, one that holds special significance as the Paschal Moon — the first full moon following the March equinox. Its timing determines the date of Easter in many Christian traditions, linking lunar cycles to centuries-old religious observances.

For skywatchers in Australia, the April 2 appearance offers a chance to reflect on a different seasonal rhythm. While the Northern Hemisphere celebrates spring, the Southern Hemisphere moves deeper into fall, lending the Pink Moon a contrasting mood — less about blooming, perhaps, and more about quiet change. Still, its presence remains a reminder of nature’s cycles, constant and shared across the globe.

Lisa Andrews

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I’m back in a coffee phase… Weekly Recap 3/30/2026

This has been a very tired year so far. I’ve shifted back to drinking coffee.

In fact, the first hour of each day requires coffee. And often the 10th hour. And sometimes even the 12th hour.

Other than that, I just open up my laptop and write. Like what I’m doing right now.

Good morning and happy Monday, friends.

• New M3 Episode: Kirk White, Golden Dawn Healing, and Pagan Politics

My book, Fluid Condensers: Unlocking the Mysteries of Gold, Alchemy, and Magick has started to ship!

If you don’t smell books, then what are you even doing with your life? Thank you to my wife for capturing these early moments of my reaction to my first published work.

We celebrated Spring Equinox on Friday night. About a week late from the official time of the astronomical equinox, but it’s what was most convenient for everyone.

Had some beautiful flowers on the altar.

Before the ritual started, we tried dyeing some eggs using a variety of natural things… turmeric, elderberry, roselle, cabbage, even leafy herbs.

And then we used those eggs for some spellwork during the ritual. I have a really cool photo of all our eggs sitting beneath burning candles, but I think I’m gonna just save that one for me.

I was really hoping for a happy pink color… or maybe something in a light, pastel purple. I guess it turned out more of a… brown. Oh well. It was still a lot of fun.

In other book-related news, I submitted my next manuscript, which is all about runes. I have no idea what happens now other than I wait. So I’m waiting. But you don’t have to wait… you can catch one of my rune workshops later this year at Summer Magick Fest or StaarCon.

Now that the books are done, I’ve had a little more time to dedicate to other things. I finished up the start of my next M3 season and posted it on Friday. The first episode features Kirk White. Go give it a watch!

I also spent a significant amount of time revamping the video thumbnails, which I haven’t done since I started the show a few years ago. Here’s a comparison of what new thumbnails will look like vs the older seasons. What do you think?

For munchies, we grabbed some sushi.

And on our journey, we also saw the Easter bunny. He was terrifying.

I’ll have a new early release episode out on Patreon soon.

And I think that’s about all there is to report from this past week. Stay tuned for more soon!

Trodde jag hade slagit säsongsbästa i att sova länge…

#equinox

This whole essay is beautiful, but I love the concept of borrowing free energy.

I am a big believer in using free energy – whether it’s the energy generated round religious holidays, like Christmas time, or the energy we can feel from the changing of the seasons. Every day is not the same. Our personal energy levels are not the same every day – we all know that. This has been a long winter. […]