Happenings – Travel Smart With Jodie

Flower moon appears on Mothers Day

Full Moon ((J Jacobs photo) — Full Moon (J Jacobs photo)

Are the flowers in your garden patch coming up now?

As with some of the other full moon names, the one in May represents what is happening in the season. Thus Native Americans, early settlers and European planters called it, among other names, the Flower Moon.

Celtic and Old English background names include Mothers’ Moon, Bright Moon, Hare Moon, and Grass Moon, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. No surprise then that in 2025 the May Full Moon happens on Mother’s Day.

It was already mostly full and bright last night, May 8, in Chicago, but it actually gets fuller and reaches full illumination there on Monday, May 12 in the middle of the day at 11:56 a.m.

Flower Moon: Full Moon in May 2025 | The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Different American tribes such as the Dakotas and Algonquins were known to call it by that name. The Cree tribe used Budding Moon.

If looking up tonight, also watch for Spica, a bright star, hovering around the moon, according to Space.

The May Full Moon is a micro moon. Micro moon is applied when the Full Moon’s orbit is farthest from Earth. In this case that would be 405,278 kilometers (251,828 miles) away, according to Time and Date.

It won’t look any smaller and may even appear bigger due to the optical Moon illusion.

Eta Aquarid Meteors

Watch for the Eta Aquarids meteor shower. Going on now, its best Chicago area watch dates in 2025 are before dawn May 5-6 when you may catch up to 50 meteors per hour. The Eta Aquarids is one of two meteor showers created by debris from Comet Halley (1P/Halley). The next time Earth passes through Halley’s path around the Sun is in October as the Oronid meteor shower.

A pink full moon

Well, not really pink. That is what the full moon on April 12, 2025 is called.

As you likely know from reading this full moon series, the titles refer either to Native American’s views of the seasons, the European growing times or the flora and fauna early American settlers noticed as seasons changed.

The April Pink full moon derived its title from Phlox subulata, a North American wildflower often called creeping phlox, moss phlox and moss pink.

The 2025 Pink Full Moon is at its height of illumination at 8:22 p.m. EDT (00:22 Greenwich Mean Time April 13). That time is before it reaches apogee, the point where the Moon is farthest from Earth. Thus the April Pink Moon will look small, like a micro-moon. Of course you can watch for the moon to rise above the horizon.

Another important name for the April full moon is the Paschal Moon because it is the first ecclesiastical (14th day in the lunar cycle) full Moon of Spring after the equinox and determines the date of Easter.

Yes, you can watch for the moon at sunset a day or two before April 12 and a day or two afterwards.

For more information visit The Old Farmer’s Almanac , TimeandDate

and EarthSky

Spring really starts this Thursday

Four large white and red parachutes are fully deployed above a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft splashing into the water.

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore land in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, March 18, 2025 after an unpredictably long nine months at the International Space Station. Photo courtesy of NASA/Keegan Barber

We’re celebrating Spring, a good time to applaud the two astronauts’ return to Earth and the change of seasons.

It’s OK to be confused. Those of us recently told to “Spring forward” might have thought our weather was about to change along with our moving one-hour-ahead time.

For many of us in the Midwest it did. We didn’t get much flower and crop growing rain. But we experienced some warmer temps. Strangely enough they came every other day as if Mother Nature was trying to balance the seasonal changes in weather.

Well, now that we are actually checking our phone or2025 paper calendar we see that Spring is marked as happening on Thursday, March 20. Why?

In the Northern Hemisphere Spring is tied to the March Vernal Equinox. That is when the Sun crosses the middle of the equator moving from south to north. It is also the first day of Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

In Chicago, Illinois, that happens at 4:01 am CDT, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Corresponding UTC is at 09:01.)

Remember that Meteorological Spring started on March 1 and runs through May 31 every year no matter the timing of the vernal equinox.

For more information visit Spring Time and Date and Farmers’ almanac Spring

BTW March 2025 may be remembered more as the month our two astronauts stuck at the International Space Station finally returned to Earth in time to celebrate the first day of Spring.

March moon at full and eclipse mode

The skies will be particularly interesting in March

Don’t forget to wear something green on St. Pats Day, March 15. But first mark March 13-14 for a lunar eclipse. Then, mark March 29 for when the New Moon covers part of the Sun in a partial solar eclipse.

The March Full Moon is known as the Worm Moon for when the soil and weather is right for earthworms to peek out. It is also called the Lenten Moon reflecting the timing of the pre-Easter Lent period.

The March full moon 2024 is the closest full moon to the March equinox. It’s also called the Sugar Moon for when to tap tree sap. (Check your local forest and park districts which may be holding sugar tapping events.)

Lunar Eclipse
It’s not just the sun that has eclipses. Watch the moon disappear March 13-14, 2025.

Visible from all of North America, the March full moon will have a total Lunar Eclipse. The Moon will enter its penumbra stage at 11:56 P.M. EDT (8:56 P.M. PDT), March 13 and the umbra at 1:09 A.M. EDT on March 14 (10:09 P.M. PDT, March 13).

It will leave the umbra stage at 4:48 A.M. EDT (1:48 A.M. PDT) on March 14 and the penumbra at 6:02 A.M. EDT (3:02 A.M. PDT). No solar glasses needed.

During a lunar eclipse, the Sun, Moon, and Earth are in a line with the Earth between the Moon and Sun. Therefore, our planet casts a reddish shadow over the Moon (also known as the umbra).

The full bright “Blood” or “Earthworm” Moon will be at peak illumination at 2:55 A.M. ET on Friday, March 14. However, look for a bright Moon rising above the horizon, Thursday evening.

Because it will look closer to us near the horizon, it will look large. That’s called a Moon illusion.

Partial Solar Eclipse

It can be viewed in northeastern North America around sunrise and mid-morning across Europe. (Sunrise is at 6:31 EDT in Boston.). The moon’s central shadow will miss Earth so no totality but it will still be a solar eclipse.

According to Space much of Europe will see a large partial solar eclipse.

The best views will be for in the far eastern area of North America, where an eclipsed sun will appear on the eastern horizon at sunrise.

For more information visit almanac and Space

Two Midwest events worth seeing

7_North Dakota_Some Things in Life

North Dakota “People’s Choice 1st Place 2024 Award”(Photo courtesy of Lake Geneva and the Snow Sculpting Invitational)

It’s easy to overlook events in late January and early February before we start planning short trips in spring when the weather is better. But here are two happenings really worth seeing and enjoying no matter the weather.

Lake Geneva, WI Winterfest

Enough snow to turn into very large sculptures won’t be a problem this year but even when it is the Lake Geneva Winterfest brings in huge blocks for teams to use as competition-worthy, story-telling objects.

A charming town that historically is known as a summer Chicago society getaway, Lake Geneva, WI has been holding the Snow Sculpting Invitational festival for 30 years. To mark its anniversary, 15 former championship teams from around the United States have been invited back for this year’s competition.

Held this year over the weekend of Jan. 29 through Feb, 2, 2025, visitors can watch the sculptors at work, see the final products and vote on Feb. 1, for a favorite. Judges will also be voting in various categories that day.

The event is free and held in Riviera Plaza and Flat Iron Park along the shore of Geneva Lake (yes, Lake Geneva, WI is on Geneva Lake). The sculptors get their snow block on Wednesday and have to finish on Saturday, February 1.

Sculptures will be displayed until they melt but most visitors drive over on Saturday and leave on Sunday. Meanwhile, do the Downtown Ice Sculpture Walk, shop the boutiques and see art galleries and dog racing.

Lake Geneva has numerous restaurants and places to stay.

The Orchid Show of Wonders at the Chicago Botanic Garden

Chicago Botanic Garden

This event is indoors. Every February orchids take over the Greenhouses and main hall inside the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, IL. With a nod to Orchids’ exotic growing locals, this year the show is called “India Blooms” and runs from February 8 to March 23, 2025.

Plus and donor level members are free. Otherwise tickets are as follows: Adult $12 member / $22 nonmember, children ages 3 – 12 $8 member / $15 nonmember and children 2 and under, free. Parking fee is not included in price for nonmembers. Member Preview is Feb. 7 from 5-8 p.m. featuring light bites, live music and cash bar.

Special ticketed Events: Orchids After Hours Feb. 14 ,21, 28 and March 13, 14, 20 and 21 from 5 -8 p.m. cocktails and delicious bites.

In addition there is the Weekend Orchid Market Place on Feb. 8-9, 15-16, 22-23 and Mar.1-2 to buy orchids, and supplies from vendors, the Illinois Orchid Society Show and Sale on March 8 – 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to view orchid arrangements and shop and an Indian community Marketplace March 22-23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to shop for Indian products.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is at 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL just east of Edens Exp.

More information at Chicago Botanic Org/orchids

Put the Chicago Travel and Auto Shows on the calendar

2024-Gallery-Image

With two major shows coming to the Chicago area in early February the frigid month of January is really the get ready to go month.

First, is the Chicago Travel and Adventure Show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center (Hall F), 5555 North River Rd. in Rosemont, IL on Feb. 1 and 2, 2025. More than 250 exhibitors and dozens of speakers will be talking about places and type of trips from around the globe.

Times: Saturday, February 1 is 10 a.m. -5 p. m. and
Sunday, February 2 is 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Cost: $15 parking. Tickets in advance: Adults 17 and over $16 one day, $23 two days.

What: More than 250 exhibitors to discuss places and type of trips around the globe. Check out the Speakers days and times to get the tips you want for where and how.

By The Way – the show is simply fun with goodies to pick up at booths, food and entertainment.

2024 Chicago Auto Show

Then, there is the Chicago Auto Show, the biggest and best of its kind, Feb 8-Feb 17,2025 at McCormick Place, 2301 S. King Dr, Chicago.

Cost: $17 for adults, $12 for seniors aged 62 and older, $12 for children 4-12, free admission for children 3 and younger when accompanied by a paying family adult.

Attractions: Indoor and outdoor test tracks, the concepts cars and kids play area are just a sample of what to expect. It’s busy but fun.

Wolf Moon

If your sky is clear tonight you are likely to see what looks like a full moon. It actually is at peak illumination tomorrow, Monday, Jan. 23,2025 at 4:22 p.m. CST, (2227 UTC according to the U.S. Naval Observatory) but it looks full the day before and day after that.

This full moon is called the Wolf Moon. It is also known as the Moon after Yule and the Ice Moon. A note on the NASA Science site says the January moon is “the start of Prayag Kumbh Mela; Shakambhari Purnima; Paush Purnima; the Thiruvathira, Thiruvathirai, or Arudhra Darisanam festival Moon; and Duruthu Poya.”

If you like to gaze at the sky or look for planets you should also note that the full Wolf Moon will pass in front of Mars but first watch for its rising in the eastern horizon around sunset. To find out when to see the January full moon check Moonrise Calculator.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac lists other names for the January Moon. And yes, the names apply to the whole lunar month, not just when it is full.

Here are some of those names: Cold Moon (Cree), Frost Exploding Moon (Cree) and Great Moon (Cree). There is also Freeze Up Moon (Algonquin), Severe Moon (Dakota). Hard Moon (Dakota), Canada Goose Moon (Tlingit), Greetings Moon (Western Abenaki) and Spirit Moon (Ojibwe).

Since many full names reflect the season or weather the question is why “Wolf Moon?”

Wolves are thought to do more howling in January (winter) to find pack members, coordinate hunting and define their territory.

For more January Full Moon info click on The Next Full Moon is the Wolf Moon – NASA Science, Wolf Moon: Full Moon in January 2025 | The Old Farmer’s Almanac, January full moon 2025: The Wolf Moon hides Mars | Space.

Watch the sky before Friday dawn

The new year of 2025 opens with the peak of a meteor shower! But you have to get up really early to watch on Jan. 3 or stay up really late tonight, Thursday, Jan. 2. Also, look north.

It the the Quadrantid shower. And it’s a good one. However, unlike other meteor events the peak is short but sweet. Expect close to 100 meteors flying across the sky for a few hours before dawn, Friday. But even 200 have been known at its peak.

The Quadrantids actually started in late November and continue until mid January but their peak at more than 80 an hour. It is when their radiant is high overhead early this Friday morning. The sky should be dark because a waxing crescent moon will have set early the night before.

This shower gets its name from the Quadrans Muralis, an obsolete constellation. Its radiant is near the Big Dipper which will be in the far northern sky tonight so not easily visible in the Southern Hemisphere. Its parent is the asteroid 2003 EH1.

BTW This is the only good meteor shower to watch until April.

For more info visit EarthSky, Time and Date, Space.

Catch falling stars but note full moon

Look up,the Geminids are here. They will be around until Dec. 24 in 2024, but they peak December 13-15.

Flying across the sky at about 120 to 150 per hour, the Geminids are among the best meteor showers of the year.

Instead of seeming to come from (known as the radiant) a comet, the Geminids are from the 3200 Phaethon which is an asteroid. That’s the good news.

Not so good is that December’s full moon, called the Cold Moon, will be lighting up the sky at the same time. It looks full Dec. 13-16 but reaches full illumination the morning of Dec. 15.

The problem is the full moon really will lite up not just the sky but your landscape making it hard to catch the Geminids. EarthSky has a couple of suggestions to counter the full moon including looking for a spot that is in shadow.

The moon’s”Cold” name reflects the weather at this time of year. However, it is also called the Long Night Moon because of its proximity to the winter solstice, Dec. 21. You’ll probably notice the morning starts darker now and night comes quickly.

For more info go to EarthSky, Time and Date and Old Farmer’s Almanac