Full Moon – Page 2 – Travel Smart With Jodie

Flower Moon

It may be hard to look up at May’s full moon when it appears on Thursday without thinking of the tragic, multi-nominated, award-winning movie produced and directed by Martin Scorsese and co-written by Eric Roth.

The movie is a true-crime drama. When oil was discovered on the Osage Nation property in Oklahoma during the Flower Moon festival in the 1920s it resulted in several Osage murders by people who wanted their oil rights and property.

As many readers of “Travel Smart with Jodie” know, the full-moon articles often note that the moon names come from different sources ranging from Native American tribes to European countries and reflect what is happening at that time in nature.

Other names are Budding Moon and Leaf Budding Moon (Cree), Planting Moon (Dakota and Lakota).

Except that moon names are annual, this year of 2024, it might also be called the cicada moon because at least in northern Illinois, the 17-year cicadas are just beginning to emerge.

No matter what you want to call the May moon it actually reaches full illumination at 9:53 a.m. EDT, the morning of May 23 but looks full on May 22 and will still look full on May 24. The Old Farmer’s Almanac tells when it is visible where you live on its Moonrise and Moonset Calculator.

Also find more information at Flower Moon: Full Moon in May 2024 | The Old Farmer’s Almanac at May’s full moon is called the Flower Moon (earthsky.org) and Flower Moon Is the Full Moon in May (timeanddate.com).

Pink Full Moon not really pink

(JJacobs March 2024 full moon photo)

Look for April’s full moon next week. Peak illumination will be 6:49 p.m. Central Time on Tuesday, April 23,2024. But even though it is named the Pink Moon, it won’t take on a rosy shade.

Moon names often reflect what is happening in nature so pink is for the color of the phlox blooms that usually show up in the eastern part of North America in April.

Called Phlox subulata, it is a creeping or spreading form of the wild flower also called moss phlox.

Other names for the April moon depend on when in the month it appears full and how close to Easter and Passover or weather changes it happens. So sometimes it is called the Paschal or Egg Moon or the Breaking Ice Moon, Budding Moon and Awakening Moon.

The moon will also look full April 22 and April 24 so if the sky is cloudy you can also capture its fullness the day before and after.

For more information visit The Old Farmer’s Almanac and Time and
Date.

Call it the Worm or Paschal Moon

Called the “Worm Moon” because beetle larvae started emerging from tree bark as noted by Captain Jonathan Carver back in the 1760s when he visited the Naudowessie (Dakota) and other Native American tribes, the name did not refer to worms coming out of the ground as once supposed.

Some other names, also from Native American tribes, are Eagle Moon, Goose Moon (Algonquin, Cree), Sugar Moon (Ojiibwe) and the Wind Strong Moon (Pueblo).

But depending on when it comes, before or after the Spring Equinox, it is also called the Lenten or Paschal Full Moon. This year, the equinox was March 19, so it’s the Paschal Moon.

Whatever you want to think of the March’s full moon name, it will be rising early March 25 with peak illumination at 3 a.m. ET but it will appear full this Sunday night, March 24 beginning at sunset. To find the moon rise time in your area go to Almanac. It also will appear full March 26.

Special effects: “Moonbow” and “super illusion”

A Moonbow is similar to a rainbow because it is an arc caused by rain but happening at night with a little bit of moonlight and raindrops.

The full moon’s super illusion is how large it will appear when it is rising at the horizon. For more full moon information visit Old Farmer’s Almanac/Worm Moon, TimeandDate.

However, March 24-25 has another event so as the ads used to say, “But wait.”

EarthSky notes there is another kind of lunar eclipse, the penumbral lunar eclipse which will be happening so the moon may seem to be in a shadow. The moon eclipse happens with a full moon as the sun, Earth and moon are lined up with Earth is in the middle casting a shadow on the moon.

There are three types of lunar eclipses: Total, partial and penumbral, the last of which is happening beginning Sunday.

Translated, that means the greatest part of the lunar eclipse, begun on March 24, will be at 2:12 a.m. CDT March 25 when nearly all of the moon will be inside the Earth’s outer penumbral shadow. Because it is not in Earth’s darker umbral shadow it will appear darkly shaded but not disappear.

February Snow Moon appears with temps moving up

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

Bright light flooded the bedroom and bath Friday, Feb.24, 2024 without turning on the switch.

It was, and will be for a couple of days, due to the Snow Moon that actually reaches full illumination at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 25.

It appeared kind of small on Friday but that is because the February full moon is also a Micro full moon (as opposed to a Supermoon.

That means its apogee is farthest from Earth. In this case that is about 252,225 miles away.

It is called the Snow Moon because February, typically, though not in 2024 in which the Earth is experiencing climate change events, has more snow than the other months.

In the Chicago area, the first measurable snow fell Feb. 23 and covered the ground due to cold temps, through Feb. 24.

But the snow is disappearing Feb. 25 due to unusually high temps. However, look up and see the “Snow Moon” Sunday night.

For more info visit “Old Farmer’s Almanac” and Time and Date.

Wolf Moon this week

January 2024’s full moon has traditionally been called the Wolf Moon in Celtic cultures, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac and Time and Date.

It is expected to look full on Jan. 24 but will reach full illumination the next day at 12:54 p.m. EST, Jan. 25 and continue to look full on Jan. 26.

Wolves howling at the moon is used in several stories for different reasons say the Farmer’s almanac. “Howling and other wolf vocalizations are used to define territory, locate pack members, reinforce social bonds, and coordinate hunting.”

The January full moon is also called the Moon After Yule. Some Native American cultures say it is the Severe Moon or Center Moon.

Whatever its name, it is cold out now.

Jodie Jacobs

Cold Full Moon

Imagine those greeting cards and pictures with Santa driving his sleigh across a full moon. The full December moon rarely happens during Christmas but this year of 2023, it will appear full on Dec. 24-27 even though its full illumination isn’t until 7:33 p.m. EST on Dec. 26.

Called by many cultures the “Cold” Moon, it is the first full Moon after the winter solstice which is this week, Dec. 21,2023. It’s easy to believe given how frigid the temps were Monday, and now, Tuesday.

But the weather is supposed to warm up in the Midwest to the mid and high 40s later in the week, so you may forget by Thursday how cold the week of the winter solstice really can be.

But after all, it is called the Cold Moon. Other names are the Oak Moon, Long Night Moon and usually, the Moon Before Yule.

Find more thoughts on full moon names at T he Old Farmer’s Almanac and at Time and Date.

Full moon and partial eclipse for October

The October full moon, called the Hunter’s Moon, rises 4:24 p.m., Oct. 28, 2023, but it will be below the horizon so wait until sunset to watch it, says the Old Farmer’s Almanac. However, as with past full moons, you get a preview on Oct. 27 and a continuation on Sept. 29.

Why the Hunter Moon? It’s related to the autumnal equinox. It follows the Harvest Moon that came Sept.29 in 2023. Its name came from the time that hunters could better find deer after leaves fell and fields were cleared.

Other names coming from Native Americans are Falling Leaves and freezing moon.

We had a partial eclipse of the sun in mid-October. Now it’s the moon’s turn.

If you are outside the eastern part of the US or in Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe you get a bonus. You can watch a partial eclipse of the moon. Time and Date will stream it live.

September brings another full Supermoon

Some sky sites say September’s full moon appears on the 28th of the month. Others say look for it on the 29th. They are both right. The crest of the full moon is 4:57 a.m. CDT on Sept. 29. But you will see the full moon which is another of this year’s supermoons, at sunset on Sept. 28. I like EarthSky for this information.

Followers of Travel Smart know that full moons have different names. Some relate to the season’s weather or crops while others connect to Native American, Celtic and other cultures.

Not surprisingly, September 2023 is the Harvest Moon because it is the full moon closest to the fall equinox, Sept. 23. It is also called the corn moon.

Unless the weather interfers, it will be easy to see. Its larger than usual size and brightness has to do with its closeness to earth and not anything extra.

If you like finding planets in relations to the moon, look for Saturn an hour earlier. It will be moving through the sky ahead of the full moon. Jupiter will be tagging along after the moon.

Another good sky site to find more information is Time and Date.

Triple moon treat ends August

August 2023 ends with a “Blue Moon” but it’s not blue.

The month also ends with a “Supermoon” that seems larger than usual. But even though it appears larger, the moon didn’t actually grow.

It also ends with a full moon. And yes, at full illumination it is full. So what is happening?

First, the phrase “once in a blue moon” came about because it is a somewhat rare occurence. It refers to having two full moons in one month. When a month starts out with a full moon it has enough days to complete the moon’s phase cycle with a second full moon as has happened in the 31 days of August 2023. (It can also be a seasonal blue month it is the third full moon in one season).

Time and Date notes that the last Super Blue Moon was December 2009, and the next one is August 2032. Also, that the next Blue Moon is August 2024, but it isn’t a Supermoon.

According to Space, our second August moon will look larger and brighter than other full moons in 2023. It is one of the year’s Supermoons, a moon that is full at the same time its orbit brings it closest to Earth (perigee).

But the second August full moon will be closer to earth than the other Supermoons. The average distance to the moon according to many scientific sites is 238,855 miles.

However, this August moon will be 221.942 miles, Aug. 30 at 9:36 p.m. EDT.

I like the NASA Science site that explains the August Blue Supermoon.

Jodie Jacobs

August full moons not a typo

You likely heard the phrase, ‘once in a blue moon.’ It’s about rarity, not color. It’s when one month boasts two full moons. And August 2023 is a prime example.

First, watch for the first full moon, called the Sturgeon Moon, on Aug.1, Peak illumination is 2:32 p.m. Eastern Time, but you should be watching for it after sunset when it’s more visible as it rises in the east.

It is also a Supermoon. Because its orbit brings it close to earth it will appear larger and brighter.

As for its name, it refers to when the Great Lakes’ huge sturgeon are often caught. Menacing looking, it is the North America’s largest fish and is considered prehistoric (136 million years ago) in origin.

For a great Sturgeon exhibit, check out Grand Rapics, MI’s Public Musuem.

The August moon is also called the “Corn” moon by some Native American tribes and many farmers.

Then, look skyward at the end of the month for the second full moon. What we call a “Blue Moon” appears August 30 with peak illumination at 9:36 p.m. ET.

Its appearance late in the month begins the later cycle of monthly full moon dates.

One other full moon note is that the moon will appear full the day before peak illumination and the day after so expect more night lite and picture taking ops.

For more excellent full moon info visit The Old Farmer’s Almanac and Time and Date.