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.
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