Full moon tonight: Here’s the best time to see the February 2025 Snow Moon

In the Northern Hemisphere, February is the middle of winter. According to NASA, this is why Native American tribes named this month’s full moon the Snow Moon. Historically, the shortest month of the year was also the coldest because of the heavy snowfall that occurred.

Another name for this lunar display of grandeur is the Hunger Moon. That name also makes historical sense because of how the snowiest month made hunting and gathering more difficult. If you didn’t plan ahead properly, your stomach was bound to rumble.

Let’s take a deeper look at the winter of it all, and when to best peep up at the night sky for optimal full moon viewing.

When exactly is the middle of winter?

Many people believe that Groundhog Day marks the middle of winter. It’s a close approximation, but not always 100% accurate. If you want to get technical, according to the Farmer’s Almanac, the middle of winter varies from year to year.

Groundhog Day always falls on February 2, and this year, the following day was actually the halfway mark between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.

Winter takes the prize for both the coldest and shortest season of the year. It lasts 88.99 days on average. Its brevity is due to perihelion, the point in the Earth’s orbit that it is closest to the sun. The cold is caused by Earth’s axial tilt, or obliquity. In the Northern Hemisphere, from December to February, the earth is tilted away from the sun, which means less direct sunshine and chillier days. The tilt overrides the nearness of the sun.

What’s a groundhog got to do with it?

Groundhog Day was created by German-speaking immigrants in the United States, who became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch because of a misinterpretation of the word “Deutsch.” It was based on the Christian tradition of Candlemas, a feast celebrating the day that Jesus was presented at Temple by Joseph and Mary.

The early Christian church incorporated pagan traditions into its calendar. For Candlemas, one of these was weather-predicting folklore. In Germany, a bear or badger was used, but in the United States, groundhogs took center stage.

The best known groundhog these days is Punxsutawney Phil, who calls Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania home. This year, he predicted six more weeks of winter after seeing his shadow.

How to see the full snow moon

In parts of the country, such as the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, snow storms may prevent one from catching the snow moon. Talk about irony.

The rest of the country will also experience cloudy skies amid potential rainstorms. If you want to try your luck, according to EarthSky, the full moon will reach peak illumination on Wednesday morning (February 12) at 8:53 a.m. ET. The celestial orb will also appear full Thursday and Friday.

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