February's full Snow Moon is just about here — so get ready to start looking to the sky.
The Snow Moon will reach its full moon phase Saturday morning at 3:17 a.m. EST, according to NASA, however, it will be visible from Thursday night through Sunday morning.
According to NASA, the Maine Farmer's Almanac selected different "Indian" Moon names for each month in the 1930s, and chose "Snow" for February due to the season's heavy snow. Data from the National Weather Service shows February is the snowiest month in the United States.
The Old Farmer's Almanac also states that other common names for February's full moon included the Hunger Moon, Bony Moon, and Little Famine Moon, because the harsh temperatures and poor climate made hunting difficult.
According to The Cincinnati Enquirer, many people have noticed a "moon halo" this week, or a ring of light around the moon that occurs when moonlight reflects off ice crystals in Earth's atmosphere.
You can confirm your city's moonrise and moonset times using The Old Farmer's Almanac calculator.
Last month, 2021's first "Wolf Moon" reached its peak, taking over the night sky as the highest full moon of the year, according to Forbes.
Per The Old Farmer's Almanac, the January full moon was named the "Wolf Moon" because "wolves were more often heard howling at this time."
"It was traditionally believed that wolves howled due to hunger during winter, but we know today that wolves howl for other reasons," the outlet reported. "Howling and other wolf vocalizations are generally used to define territory, locate pack members, reinforce social bonds, and coordinate hunting."
Other names used for the January full Moon include the "Cold Moon," "Frost Exploding Moon" and "Freeze Up Moon."
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