February’s full moon, known as the “snow” moon, will be visible for most of the Gulf Coast and East Coast this week.
The moon will officially be full at 10:57 a.m. CST Wednesday, February 16, when it appears opposite the Sun in Earth-based longitude. However, it will appear nearly full for about three days, beginning late Tuesday night through Thursday.
Tuesday night will offer the best view of the “snow” moon along the Gulf Coast, as cloud cover is forecast to move into the region by late Wednesday. The moon rises Tuesday evening at about 4:58 p.m. and sets Wednesday morning at 6:55 a.m.
Those that do not have a view obstructed by clouds Wednesday night will have a second chance to see the moon light up the sky. On Wednesday, the moon rises 5:58 p.m. before setting the following morning at 7:29 a.m.
Each full moon has it’s own nickname. The Maine Farmers’ Almanac began publishing Native American names for full Moons in the 1930s and these names have become widely known and used.
February’s full moon is called the snow moon due to the frequent snowstorms that commonly take place during the second month of the year.
The next full moon will be the “worm” moon on March 18, 2022.