February is such a short month that any astrological landmark is significant. So, even though it's freezing outdoors, go outside to see the Snow Moon.
Our nearest sizeable cosmic friend will be at its finest on Wednesday, displaying its winter radiance. While the almost Full Moon will be visible during daylight hours in the United States, you will have plenty of opportunities to see it throughout the long evenings before and following.
A statue on Rome's Piazza Del Popolo is illuminated by the last full moon of the millenium 22 December 1999. By a rare coincidence the moon was at its closest point to the Earth, called perigee, and the Earth to the closest point to the Sun, or perihelion.
Why February's Full Moon is Called 'Snow Moon'
Due to cumulative cooling and a low Sun angle, February is usually the snowiest in the northern hemisphere. Snow will fall in most places on both sides of the Atlantic. Thus, many assumed that it is where the term Snow Moon is derived from. Some tribes in North America call it the Storm Moon or the Hunger Moon, referring to the lack of food and difficulties hunting in icy circumstances.
Dr. Darren Baskill, a physics and astronomy lecturer at the University of Sussex, told BBC Science Focus that both of those traditional names for February's full moon make sense when considering the climate. Because January and February are the coldest months, snowfall is more likely, and natural food sources are scarce.
According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, the Ojibwe term Bear Moon and the Tlingit name Black Bear Moon allude to the time of year when bear cubs are born.
Meanwhile, the Cherokees refer to this month as the Month of the Bony Moon or the Hungry Moon since food is limited at this time of year due to harsh weather that makes hunting difficult. In Europe, the full moon in February is the Wolf Moon or the Candles Moon.
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During the full moon, the moonlight will be too bright for stargazing. Natural moonlight tends to "wipe out" the light from most stars, leaving only the most luminous stars visible in the night sky. So, when there is no moon in the sky, the best time to go stargazing is the days before or following the new moon.
When and How to Watch Snow Moon This Month
A full moon happens when it is in its orbit around Earth and is directly opposite the sun. When this transpires, the side of the moon that can be seen from Earth is completely lighted, giving it the appearance of being "full."
NASA said the full moon would appear on Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 11:57 a.m. Eastern. So the optimum moment to see a full Moon is when it rises over the eastern horizon as near to that time as possible on Wednesday, dusk time.
However, it will seem full to the unassisted eye until around midnight on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights in Europe and North America.
You'll also be able to glimpse a brilliant star near the moon when the sky darkens. Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion, is that star.
You'll have plenty of opportunities to stare at the moon - weather allowing - because it will be up all night and high in the sky about midnight each night.
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