How to See February's Snow Moon
Full Snow Moon rises over San Mateo Bridge of San Francisco Bay in San Mateo, Calif., U.S. on Feb. 24, 2024. Credit - Tayfun Coskun—Getty Images
The second full moon of 2025, dubbed the 'snow moon' will be at its peak this week. The moon, named after the winter season's heavy snowfall, arrives just as much of the U.S. is expected to be impacted by back-to-back snowstorms.
Here's what to know about the snow moon.
The snow moon will reach peak illumination Wednesday morning at 8:53 a.m. EST, according to earthsky.org. The moon will be below the horizon at this time, so the Almanac's moon guide recommends looking for it on Tuesday or Wednesday night. The moon will peak above the horizon around sunset, and reach its highest point in the sky around midnight.
You can view the snow moon with your naked eye, but try stargazing in an area with less light pollution to appreciate its full beauty. If you're not able to catch a glimpse on Wednesday, the moon will also appear full in the days before and after its peak—though with most of the U.S. expected to be impacted by storms this week, some stargazers might find it hard to catch it.
Many early Native American tribes kept track of time through phases of the moon, and some of the names were adopted by European colonists. The 'snow moon' was named in reference to the heavy snow that falls during the winter season. Because the season also brought bad weather that made hunting difficult, it was also referred to as the 'Hunger Moon.'
The next full moon, named the 'worm moon' will take place in mid-March. Until then, keep an eye out for Venus, the planet named after the Roman goddess of love, which will reach peak brightness on Feb. 14—just in time for Valentine's Day.
Write to Simmone Shah at simmone.shah@time.com.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fast Company
4 hours ago
- Fast Company
The June full moon tonight is also a low ‘strawberry moon.' Here's what that means and the best time to see it
The hit 1962 song 'Up on the Roof' reminds listeners that when the world is getting you down, 'at night the stars put on a show for free.' While not expressly stated in Carole King and Gerry Goffin's lyrics, it's implied that the moon gets in on the action and romance as well. About once a month, the night sky takes things to the next level with a full moon. June's offering, which is nicknamed the Strawberry Moon by the Old Farmer's Almanac, is extra special for those in the Western Hemisphere because its peak will be at its lowest in almost 20 years thanks to a major lunar standstill. Let's break down the science of it all before we discuss how best to view the nighttime spectacular. Strawberry Moon: What's in a name? The origin of the Strawberry Moon nickname comes from Native American culture and has nothing to do with the appearance of the full moon. The Algonquian, Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota people used the moniker because that's when the delicious summertime fruit is ripening and ready to be picked. This year, because of the moon's low position and the wildfires in Canada, the orb might actually have a pinkish tint. Why is the full moon so low this month? The Strawberry Moon is always low because of the time of year. The orb is always opposite the sun and June's full moon takes place around the same time as the summer solstice, when the sun is at its highest point. This year it is even lower because of a recent major lunar standstill. The Earth orbits the sun and the moon orbits the Earth, but in different planes. This 5 degree tilt impacts the appearance of the moon in the night sky. Every 18.6 years, this tilt goes through a cycle of change. When the moon is in the highest or lowest periods of this cycle, it is called a major lunar standstill. When is the best time to see the Strawberry Moon? The Strawberry Moon will reach peak illumination at 3:43 a.m. on Wednesday, June 11. If that seems too early, never fear, you can catch it this evening (Tuesday, June 10) and it will already appear full to the naked eye. There's no need to lose any sleep. In fact, thanks to the moon illusion—the phenomenon that makes the orb seem bigger near the horizon because our brains compare it to nearby objects, such as trees and buildings—it is better to view it when it is rising: If you are in New York City, this takes place at 8:26 p.m ET Moon watchers in Los Angeles should look up at 8:05 p.m. PT. To find out when the moonrise occurs in your city, use this handy tool from TimeandDate. Once you know the optimal time, head up on a roof, preferably away from city lights and enjoy the show. Your cares might just drift right into space like King and Goffin promised.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
The last full moon of the spring will soon peak over Kansas. When to look for it
The last full moon of the spring will peak soon above Kansas, and the forecast calls for clear skies at least one of the days the moon will appear full. The 'strawberry' moon will peak overnight Wednesday, June 11, and will appear full the day before and the day after. The moon marks the peak of strawberry harvest season, and the name is attributed to the Algonquian, Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota peoples, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. The name does not refer to a pink or red colored appearance of the moon. More names for June's full moon include blooming moon (attributed to the Anishinaabe), green corn moon (Cherokee), hoer moon (Western Abenaki), birth moon (Tlingit), egg laying moon (Cree), hatching moon (Cree), honey moon (European) and mead moon (European). Last year's strawberry moon coincided with the summer solstice, which is Friday, June 20 this year. Meteorological summer, however, began June 1, and Wichita has already begun seeing warmer temperatures. Here's when to see this year's strawberry moon over Kansas, plus when to catch more full moons in 2025. The strawberry moon will be full at 2:44 a.m. Central Daylight Time June 11, according to the Farmers' Almanac. AccuWeather reports the nighttime forecast for June 11 calls for 'partly cloudy and humid' skies in Wichita. The full moon generally appears full the day before and after its peak. The night of June 10 will be clear in Wichita, AccuWeather forecasts, and the night of June 12 will be cloudy with possible thunderstorms. The moon will rise in Wichita at 9:48 p.m. June 11, according to online clock Time and Date. After the flower moon, stargazers will have six more opportunities to see a full moon this year. Here's when to look, from Thursday, July 10: Buck moon Saturday, Aug. 9: Sturgeon moon Sunday, Sept. 7: Corn moon Monday, Oct. 6: Hunter's moon (supermoon) Wednesday, Nov. 5: Beaver moon (supermoon) Thursday, Dec. 4: Cold moon (supermoon) The Kansas Astronomical Observers will hold a monthly meeting from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, June 21, outside Lake Afton Public Observatory. A star party will follow the announcements and discussion, weather-permitting.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
When is the June full moon? Is it a supermoon? More on strawberry moon, Ohio forecast
Ready for the next full moon? Between northern lights being visible on June 1, perfect viewing conditions to see the Milky Way and a brilliant but short-lived "new star" nova explosion on the way, it's easy to forget about the full moon. Summer is almost here, and the warm nights make a great season for seeing celestial events, including the June full moon, the strawberry moon. Is it a supermoon? Will the weather cooperate? Here's more on June's full moon along with the Ohio weather forecast for the strawberry moon viewing. The strawberry moon, June's full moon, will reach peak illumination on Wednesday, June 11, at 3:44 a.m. ET, according to There are seven full moons remaining this year; three will be supermoons. The full moon will appear on the night of June 10 before it reaches peak illumination in the early morning hours on June 11. What's the weather forecast for Ohio's major cities? Will we be able to catch a glimpse of June's full moon? It appears that most of Ohio's weather will be ideal as we look forward to the full moon on Tuesday night. Here's the weather forecast from the National Weather Service as of Monday, June 9: Akron will be mostly clear the night of May 10, with no precipitation in the forecast. Temperatures will range from a high of 75 degrees to a low of 58. Cincinnati will also have clear skies, along with calm winds the night of the full moon. Temperatures will range from a high of 79 to a low of 58. Columbus will have mostly clear skies, perfect for full moon viewing. Temperatures will range from a high of 76 to a low of 59. Cleveland will be mostly clear Tuesday night, with no precipitation forecast. Temperatures will range from a high of 75 to a low of 61. Here's a look at what the skies over Cincinnati and Columbus look like. Check in Tuesday night to see what the skies look like during June's full moon: Here's what the skies over Northeast Ohio look like right now: As of June 9, the moon is currently in its waxing gibbous phase at 97% illumination, according to The moon's phases in June, per Griffith Observatory, are: First quarter: June 2 Full moon: June 11 Last quarter: June 18 New moon: June 25 You might assume the June full moon is called the strawberry moon because it may take on a pinkish hue, but that's not the case. The nickname strawberry moon has been attributed to Algonquin peoples, a Native American tribe, according to Old Farmer's Almanac. The June full moon is called the strawberry moon to mark the ripening of June-bearing strawberries that are ready to be harvested and eaten. July's full moon, the buck moon, will peak on July 10, 2025, per Griffith Observatory. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: When is June's full moon? Ohio weather forecast, strawberry moon live radar
