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Here’s how to catch February’s full Snow Moon

The second full Moon of the year will rise on Wednesday at 8:53 a.m. ET, meaning skywatchers will need to catch the celestial display either before or after its peak due to the position of the Sun.

By Andrew Wulfeck Source FOX Weather

Visualization of the Moon's phases in 2025

NASA visualization shows the Moon's phases in 2025 (NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center)

The shortest month of the year will also be one of the quietest for stargazers, but that does not mean there won’t be a full Moon appearance.

The second full Moon of the year will rise on Wednesday at 8:53 a.m. ET, meaning skywatchers will need to catch the celestial display either before or after its peak due to the position of the Sun. The good news is that the Moon will appear full in the two days before and after the peak. 

Known as the "Snow Moon," February’s full Moon is traditionally associated with chilly weather and snow on the ground in the northern latitudes.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the Moon is also known by other names, including the Bald Eagle Moon, Bear Moon, Goose Moon, Groundhog Moon and Hungry Moon.

This year, the full Moon happens 10 days after Groundhog Day, a tradition celebrated annually to predict the weather. On Feb. 2, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, signaling six more weeks of winter. 

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The International Space Station (ISS) is photographed with the full moon in the background from Cihanbeyli district of Konya, Turkiye on January 24, 2024. (Photo by Yunus Turkyilmaz/Anadolu via Getty Images) ( )

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2024 Wolf Full Moon (Virtual Telescope Project)

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The setting Full Moon on the morning of Saturday, March 31, 2018, the day before Easter At this time, at about 7:20 am MDT, the Moon was a little less than an hour after the moment of exact Full Moon, so the Sun had already risen before the Moon set   There was a lot of snow still on the ground and the temperature was an unseasonably cold -20 C, still very much winter   This was with the Canon 6D MkII and 200mm lens with 14x convertor, shot from home. (VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

While full Moons don’t always coincide with the occasion, they occasionally align. 

The last time a full Moon occurred on Groundhog Day was in 2018, and the next one won’t occur until 2032 due to the lunar cycle.

Looking ahead, March will be packed with astronomical events, including a total lunar eclipse, a partial solar eclipse and another full Moon. 

In addition, daylight saving time will begin, and the spring equinox will occur, so it promises to be an exciting month for skywatchers.

A significant disadvantage for stargazers will be the increasing daylight across the Northern Hemisphere.

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As the days grow longer, observers will have less time to view the night sky without the interference of light pollution and the rising sun.

For example, in a city like New York, daylight is increasing by about two to three minutes each day, and sunset times will soon shift past 6 p.m. as the summer solstice approaches. 

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