When and where to look in 2026: Look for the bright, round full moon climbing in the east around sunset as the twilight darkens on February 1. It will glow high in the south near midnight, and will drop low in the west before sunrise on February 2. Also, it will appear full in the evenings before and after the full moon.
Crest of the full moon falls at 22:09 UTC on February 1. That’s 4:09 p.m. CST, which occurs near sunset. So, it will appear fullest when it low in the east at sunset as viewed in the central United States.
The full moon always lies on the opposite side of the sky from the sun. Consequently, it’s visible all night. All full moons rise along the eastern horizon close to the time of sunset. Likewise, all full moons set along the western horizon close to the time of sunrise. At full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon are aligned in space, with Earth in the middle. And, the moon’s day side – its fully lighted hemisphere – directly faces us. That is why the moon appears full.
It’s the Snow Moon
All the full moons have nicknames. Often derived from North America’s indigenous people, popular names for February’s full moon include the Hunger Moon, and the Boney Moon, but the Snow Moon is the most common. As you might expect, the name Snow Moon recognizes the snow cover in much of the mid-to-upper latitudes of North America. And this was a time of want and hardship, as spring growth and the abundance of wildlife have yet to come.
The full moon lies above Regulus
The February full moon will be above the brightest star in Leo the lion, Regulus. This year, Western Hemisphere skywatchers will see Regulus rise nearly 90 minutes after the moon in the eastern sky after sunset. As midnight approaches, the star will lie to the left of the very bright full moon. When the moon sinks toward the western horizon, Regulus will sit close to the moon.
For an better view of Regulus in the moonlight, block the moon with your hand, or position yourself so that a foreground object such as a tree branch or utility pole blocks the moon.
This February full moon in Cancer
The February full moon can lie in front of one of three constellations. Two of them are constellations of the zodiac. Most years – but not this year – the full moons sits in front of Leo the Lion. But it can also fall in front of Cancer the Crab, which is the constellation immediately west of Leo. This year, it lies in eastern Cancer. Infrequently, the full moon falls when the moon lies in front of Sextans the Sextant, an obscure constellation south of Leo. This happens next in 2032.
Occasionally – because the time from full moon to full moon is 29 1/2 days and February has either 28 or 29 days – no full moon falls in February. The last time was 2018. And it’ll happen again in 2037.
Bottom line: The full Snow Moon will shine brightly all night on February 1, 2026. It will glow near the star Regulus in Leo the Lion.
The post The February full moon is the Snow Moon on February 1 first appeared on EarthSky.
from EarthSky https://ift.tt/tr3ulvf
When and where to look in 2026: Look for the bright, round full moon climbing in the east around sunset as the twilight darkens on February 1. It will glow high in the south near midnight, and will drop low in the west before sunrise on February 2. Also, it will appear full in the evenings before and after the full moon.
Crest of the full moon falls at 22:09 UTC on February 1. That’s 4:09 p.m. CST, which occurs near sunset. So, it will appear fullest when it low in the east at sunset as viewed in the central United States.
The full moon always lies on the opposite side of the sky from the sun. Consequently, it’s visible all night. All full moons rise along the eastern horizon close to the time of sunset. Likewise, all full moons set along the western horizon close to the time of sunrise. At full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon are aligned in space, with Earth in the middle. And, the moon’s day side – its fully lighted hemisphere – directly faces us. That is why the moon appears full.
It’s the Snow Moon
All the full moons have nicknames. Often derived from North America’s indigenous people, popular names for February’s full moon include the Hunger Moon, and the Boney Moon, but the Snow Moon is the most common. As you might expect, the name Snow Moon recognizes the snow cover in much of the mid-to-upper latitudes of North America. And this was a time of want and hardship, as spring growth and the abundance of wildlife have yet to come.
The full moon lies above Regulus
The February full moon will be above the brightest star in Leo the lion, Regulus. This year, Western Hemisphere skywatchers will see Regulus rise nearly 90 minutes after the moon in the eastern sky after sunset. As midnight approaches, the star will lie to the left of the very bright full moon. When the moon sinks toward the western horizon, Regulus will sit close to the moon.
For an better view of Regulus in the moonlight, block the moon with your hand, or position yourself so that a foreground object such as a tree branch or utility pole blocks the moon.
This February full moon in Cancer
The February full moon can lie in front of one of three constellations. Two of them are constellations of the zodiac. Most years – but not this year – the full moons sits in front of Leo the Lion. But it can also fall in front of Cancer the Crab, which is the constellation immediately west of Leo. This year, it lies in eastern Cancer. Infrequently, the full moon falls when the moon lies in front of Sextans the Sextant, an obscure constellation south of Leo. This happens next in 2032.
Occasionally – because the time from full moon to full moon is 29 1/2 days and February has either 28 or 29 days – no full moon falls in February. The last time was 2018. And it’ll happen again in 2037.
Bottom line: The full Snow Moon will shine brightly all night on February 1, 2026. It will glow near the star Regulus in Leo the Lion.
The post The February full moon is the Snow Moon on February 1 first appeared on EarthSky.
from EarthSky https://ift.tt/tr3ulvf
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