Friday

Look up at the night sky tonight to catch a glimpse of February's full moon, which will be 100% full on Saturday at 3:17 a.m. ET. The full moon will be visible around the world, but poor weather may block the view for some. Moon gazers can watch a live stream of the full moon in Rome from The Virtual Telescope Project.

Native American tribes in the northeastern United States call February's full moon the "Snow Moon" because of the heavy snowfall this time of year, according to the Maine Farmer's Almanac.

Tribes across the United States have their own names for February's full moon, according to the Western Washington University Planetarium. The Arapaho in the Great Plains have the closest name to Snow Moon, which is "frost sparkling in the sun."

Other tribes have names that are the opposite, like the Zuni Tribe in New Mexico who call it "onon u'la'ukwamme," which means "no snow in trails."

Some tribes named this full moon after animals. The Tlingit Tribe in the Pacific Northwest call it "s'eek dis" or "black bear moon." The Haida Tribe in Alaska call it "hlgit'un kungáay" or "goose moon."

This full moon is also significant in other cultures. It marks Māgha Pūjā, an important Buddhist festival that celebrates Buddha gathering his first 1,250 disciples. Typical of a normal year, 2021 will also have 12 full moons. (Last year had 13 full moons, two of which were in October.)

February Moon names from different cultures Ice (Celtic). Old Moon (Cree). Gray Moon (Pima). Wind Moon (Creek). Winter Moon (Taos). Nuts Moon (Natchez). Avunnivik Moon (Inuit). Geese Moon (Omaha). Bony Moon (Cherokee). Purification Moon (Hopi). Little bud Moon (Kiowa). Snow Moon (Neo-Pagan). Lateness Moon (Mohawk). Shoulder Moon (Wishram). Rabbit Moon (Potawatomi). Sucker Moon (Anishnaabe). Long Dry Moon (Assiniboine). Little Famine Moon (Choctaw). Storm Moon (Medieval English). Sparkling Frost Moon (Arapaho). Running Fish Moon (Winnebago). Coyote Frighten Moon (San Juan). Spruce Tips Moon (Passamaquoddy). Raccoon Moon, Trees Pop Moon (Sioux). Hunger Moon : Dark, Storm Moon : Full (Janic). Snow Moon, Hunger Moon, Trappers Moon (Algonquin).

Other moon names : Wolf Moon, Wild Moon, Quickening Moon, Solmonath Moon, Chaste Moon, Horning Moon, Red Moon, Big Winter Moon, Cleansing Moon.


February's full moon is also known as the "Full Hunger Moon" because food was scarce and hunting was difficult for ancient tribes during this month.

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