Once a month, and on uncommon occasions, sometimes twice, skygazers are treated to one of the most dramatic sights in the night sky – a full moon.
Monthly, the Earth’s moon goes through its phases, transforming from a new moon to a full moon every 29.5 days or so.
A full moon occurs when the moon moves to the side of the Earth directly opposite the sun, reflecting the sun’s rays off its entire face and appearing as a bright, perfectly circular disk.
For thousands of years, humans have used the moon’s movement to keep track of time and set schedules for hunting, planting, and harvesting. Ancient cultures globally have given names to these full moons based on activities conducted that month or the behavior of plants, animals, or weather. Native American full moon names have dominated headlines in recent history.
January: Full Wolf Moon
Native Americans and medieval Europeans named January’s full moon after the howling of hungry wolves lamenting the midwinter lack of food. To some Native American tribes, this was the Snow Moon, but most applied that name to the next full Moon in February. Other names for this month’s full Moon include the Old Moon and Ice Moon.
February: Full Snow Moon
The typically cold, snowy weather of February in North America earned its full moon the name Snow Moon. With the prevalence of winter storms, it was also known as the Storm Moon. Hunting also became very difficult, and hence to some Native American tribes, this was the Hunger Moon.
March: Full Worm Moon
Native Americans called this last full moon of winter the Worm Moon after the worm trails that would appear in the newly thawed ground, inviting the reappearance of robins. Other names include the Chaste Moon, Death Moon, and Crust Moon (a reference to snow that would become crusty as it thawed during the day and froze at night). This is also known as the Sap Moon, as it marks the time when maple sap begins to flow, and the annual tapping of maple trees begins.
April: Full Pink Moon
Northern Native Americans call April’s full moon the Pink Moon after a species of early blooming wildflower. It is also known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and the Fish Moon.
May: Full Flower Moon
In many cultures, may’s abundant blooms give its full moon the name Flower Moon. Some Algonquin tribes knew this full moon as the Corn Planting Moon, the Hare Moon, or the Milk Moon.
June: Full Strawberry Moon
The Algonquin tribes knew this moon as a time to gather ripening strawberries giving it the name Strawberry Moon. Europeans have dubbed it the Rose Moon, while other cultures named it the Hot Moon for the beginning of the summer heat.
July: Full Buck Moon
Male deer, which shed their antlers every year, begin to regrow them in July, hence the Native American name for July’s full moon. This full Moon was also known as the Thunder Moon because of the month’s many summer thunderstorms and Hay Moon after the July hay harvest.
August: Full Sturgeon Moon
North American fishing tribes called August’s full moon the Sturgeon Moon since the species was abundant during this month. It’s also been called the Green Corn Moon, the Grain Moon, and the Red Moon for the reddish hue it often takes on in the summer haze.
September: Full Corn Moon or Harvest Moon
The most familiar named moon, September’s Harvest Moon, refers to the time of year after the autumn equinox when crops are gathered. It also refers to the moon’s particularly bright appearance and early rise, which lets farmers continue harvesting into the night. The Harvest Moon is the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox, which can occur in September or October and is bright enough to allow finishing all the harvest chores. It is also called the Barley Moon because it is the time to harvest and thresh the ripened barley. September’s full moon may also be called the Corn Moon.
October: Full Hunter’s Moon
This is the month when the leaves are falling, so named as the preferred month to hunt summer-fattened deer and fox unable to hide in now bare fields. This was the time for hunting and laying in a store of provisions for the long winter ahead. October’s Moon is also known as the Travel Moon and the Dying Moon.
November: Full Beaver Moon
There is disagreement over the origin of November’s Beaver Moon name. Some say it comes from Native Americans setting beaver traps during this month, while others say the name comes from the heavy activity of beavers building their winter dams. This full moon was also called the Frost Moon.
December: Full Cold Moon
This is the month when the winter cold fastens its grip, and the nights become long and dark. This full moon is also called the Long Nights Moon by some Native American tribes and the Oak Moon.
There are other names for different types of full moons.
The Blue Moon
Each year, the moon completes its final cycle about 11 days before Earth finishes its orbit around the sun. These days add up, and every two and a half years or so, there is an extra full moon, called a blue moon. The term’s origin is uncertain, and its precise definition has changed over the years. Today, the term is used to describe the second full moon of a calendar month, but it was initially the name given to the third full moon of a season containing four full moons.
The Black Moon
In contrast to the Blue Moon, Black Moon has been used to refer to a month in which there is no full Moon; this can only occur in February because the calendar month has fewer days (28 or 29 days) than the lunar month (about 29.5 days). The term may also refer to a second new Moon occurring within a calendar month; by this definition, a Black Moon can never occur in February.
The Blood Moon
A “blood moon” happens when Earth’s moon is in a total lunar eclipse. While it has no special astronomical significance, the view in the sky is striking as the usually whitish moon becomes red or ruddy-brown.
Lunar eclipses can only happen during a full moon when the sun fully illuminates the surface. Usually, a full moon has no eclipse because the moon orbits in a slightly different plane than the Earth and the sun. However, at times the planes coincide. Earth passes between the moon and the sun and cuts off the sunlight, causing an eclipse.
If Earth partially blocks the sun, and the darkest part of its shadow falls across the moon’s surface, it is called a partial eclipse. You will see a black shadow taking a bite out of the moon.
During a total eclipse, however, something spectacular happens. The moon is entirely in Earth’s shadow. At the same time, a little bit of light from Earth’s sunrises and sunsets (on the planet’s disk) falls on the moon’s surface. Because the light waves are stretched out, they look red. When this red light strikes the moon’s surface, it also appears red.
The Colors of the Moon
While some of the moon names may refer to colors such as April’s Pink Moon, a Blue Moon, or a Black Moon, the color of this celestial body generally remains the same white/grey we’re accustomed to seeing.
However, the moon’s colors can depend on how much pollution, cloud cover, moisture, Saharan Dust, or debris is in the atmosphere. For example, if a full moon occurs shortly after a volcanic eruption, the particles in the atmosphere will make the moon look darker than usual.
