When is Easter?

[BlueSkyNick]

Yes I know its the last weekend of March. I am thinking about going to the CHannel Islands, but its a big spring tide that weekend.

Being somewhat agnostic, I am racking my brain to recall why Easter is on a different date each year. Isn't something to do with the moon - hence the spring tides?

Might just stick to a long weekend in Poole or Weymuff again.

 

[billmacfarlane]

Easter is calculated as being on the first full moon after the vernal equinox, hence the large tidal range. It's very early this year, good Friday being on Friday 25th March.

 

[T_S]

Or you can tell two months before by noticing the chocolate eggs stacked out in the local shops!

 

[Shakey]

Isn't it the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox? So some years it's neaps, six or seven years later it's springs. Or summat.

 

[Greenwichman]

Have you noticed that Easter is always either 'early this year' or 'late this year'? No one ever says: 'Easter's on time this year'?

 

[Nickel]

Very, very close.

Easter is actually the Sunday following the first Saturday following the first full moon following the vernal equinox.

The full moon after the vernal equinox, because the Jewish calendar is a lunar one. The Sunday following the Saturday because Easter Sunday has to fall on a Sunday [obviously], but it is the Sunday following the Passover Sabbath [or at least what we calculate to be the Passover Sabbath - the Jewish Passover is actually on a different date due to some disagreement about calculations!

This is why the earliest Easter can be is 22nd March, because if 21st March is a Saturday and a full moon, then Easter Sunday is the next day. Conversely the latest it can be is one day short of a lunar month, so to about 19th April.

 

[wagenaar]

When the first full moon after the 21 of march is on sunday 22 of march easter can fall on appr. 27 of april as the latest possible date.
Henk.

 

[wagenaar]

I made a mistake here. If the last full moon before the 21st of march as on sunday 20th of march, the first full moon after the 21 will be on monday 18th of april(assuming 29 days betwee full-moons), which means easter is on the 24th of april.
Henk.

 

[IanPoole2]

2 months - your supermarkets must be a bit slow. I say the first ones the day after boxing day.

 

[Nickel]

You are, of course, right - my oversight ignoring the significance on which day the full moon might fall!!

Perhaps the Celtic Chruch had a good idea?!