Tag: March Worm Moon

March moon at full and eclipse mode

Full moon (J Jacobs photo)
Full moon (J Jacobs photo)

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

 

Worm Moon by any other name still means Spring

March full moon designates Spring (J Jacobs photo)
March full moon designates Spring (J Jacobs photo)

Spring is in the air so earthworms are making their way through formerly frozen ground. Thus the March full moon is called the Worm Moon, right?

Appearing bright above the horizon on March 18 and having reached full illumination at 3:20 a.m. EDT, that day, it is the last of the winter season’s full moons.

Don’t worry if you missed snapping a photo. The moon will seem full for three days. However, if putting the photo on social media. you might want to know there is a backstory to the “worm” name.

But what may be the worm’s story behind the name?

The Old Farmer’s Almanac says the earthworm idea sounds good but that when Captain Jonathan Carver was visiting Native American tribes in the 1760s, he learned from them that Worm Moon actually referred to the beetle larvae type “worm” that emerged from winter homes such as tree bark during the spring thaw.

Worm isn’t the only name. References also list other creatures such as eagle and crow plus natural phenomenon such as sap and sugar.

Timing is also important. When the Spring or Vernal Equinox falls determines if  the March full moon is called the Lenten Moon which comes before the equinox or the Paschal Moon if after it.

In 2022, the Spring Equinox is March 20. Time and Date references the Astronomical beginning of Spring and other popular names.

If you follow meteorlogical seasons, you know Spring started March 1 and goes to May 31.