
February’s Full Moon is the Snow Moon, Here’s When to See it Light Up the Night
February's full moon is set to light up the dark winter night sky in the middle of this month, here's what you need to know about the Snow Moon.
Winter Nights
I'm not sure about you, but this time of year I always feel like it's way later than it is. When it's still getting dark before 6 PM and the days are typically cold and gray (not including the unusually warm weather we are experiencing this week) by 7 in the evening, I feel like it's already 10 PM. But longer days are ahead as we are seeing about 2-3 more minutes of daylight each day this month! In the meantime, there is a full moon in the middle of this month, and that will bring a nice glow to the long dark evenings. Here's when to see the Snow Moon!
February's Snow Moon
Each month the full moon has a different nickname. These names come from all different cultures throughout history, and according to Almanac the February full moon is the Snow Moon.

Why is it called the Snow Moon? Because typically, February is the snowiest month of the year (at least for us here in the United States). Almanac explains:
The explanation behind February’s full Moon name is a fairly straightforward one: it’s known as the Snow Moon due to the typically heavy snowfall that occurs in February. On average, February is the United States’ snowiest month, according to data from the National Weather Service. In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver, who had visited with the Naudowessie (Dakota), wrote that the name used for this period was the Snow Moon, “because more snow commonly falls during this month than any other in the winter.”
When to See The Snow Moon
The full Snow Moon will happen on February 12th. However due to how bright full moons are, the moon will appear full to the naked eye for a couple of nights around the 12th, but the 12th is when the moon will reach peak illumination. According to Almanac the Snow Moon will reach peak illumination at 8:53 AM Eastern time, so they recommend viewing the moon the night before for the best viewing!
It will be below the horizon at this time, so for the best view of this Moon, look for it starting the night before or later on Wednesday; it will drift above the horizon in the east around sunset and reach its highest point in the sky around midnight.
You can read more about the full Snow Moon from Almanac, here.