Names for the Full Moons

Here is just one of many sets of names for the Full Moons of the
year. Maybe you have a set you use for your calendar. January 25,
5:32 a.m. EST -- The Full Wolf Moon. Amid the zero cold and deep
snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian
villages. It was also known as the Old Moon or the Moon After Yule.
In some tribes this was the Full Snow Moon; most applied that name
to the next moon. February 23, 11:54 p.m. EST -- The Full Snow Moon.
Usually the heaviest snows fall in this month. Hunting becomes very
difficult, and hence to some tribes this was the Full Hunger Moon.
March 25, 3:58 p.m. EST -- The Full Worm Moon. In this month the
ground softens and the earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return
of the robins. The more northern tribes knew this as the Full Crow
Moon, when the cawing of crows signals the end of winter, or the
Full Crust Moon because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing
by day and freezing at night. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of
tapping maple trees, is another variation. This is also the Paschal
Full Moon; the first full Moon of the spring season. The first
Sunday following the Paschal Moon is Easter Sunday, which indeed
will be observed two days later on Sunday, March 27. April 24, 6:06
a.m. EDT -- The Full Pink Moon. The grass pink or wild ground phlox
is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names
were the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and -- among
coastal tribes -- the Full Fish Moon, when the shad came upstream to
spawn. May 23, 4:18 p.m. EDT -- The Full Flower Moon. Flowers are
abundant everywhere. It was also known as the Full Corn Planting
Moon or the Milk Moon. June 22, 12:14 a.m. EDT -- The Full
Strawberry Moon. Known to every Algonquin tribe. Europeans called it
the Rose Moon. July 21, 7:00 a.m. EDT -- The Full Buck Moon, when
the new antlers of buck deer push out from their foreheads in
coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder
Moon, thunderstorms being now most frequent. Sometimes also called
the Full Hay Moon. The Moon will also be at perigee later this day,
at 4:00 p.m., at a distance of 221,928 mi./357,158 km miles from
Earth. Very high ocean tides can be expected from the coincidence of
perigee with full Moon. August 19, 1:53 p.m. EDT -- The Full
Sturgeon Moon, when this large fish of the Great Lakes and other
major bodies of water like Lake Champlain is most readily caught. A
few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because the moon rises
looking reddish through sultry haze, or the Green Corn Moon or Grain
Moon. September 17, 10:01 p.m. EDT -- The Full Harvest Moon.
Traditionally, this designation goes to the Full Moon that occurs
closest to the Autumnal (Fall) Equinox. In two years out of three,
the Harvest Moon comes in September, but every third year it occurs
in October. At the peak of the harvest, farmers can work into the
night by the light of this moon. Usually the full Moon rises an
average of 50 minutes later each night, but for the few nights
around the Harvest Moon, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same
time each night: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the U.S., and
only 10 to 20 minutes later for much of Canada and Europe. Corn,
pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice -- the chief Indian staples --
are now ready for gathering. October 17, 8:14 a.m. EDT -- The Full
Hunter's Moon. With the leaves falling and the deer fattened, it is
time to hunt. Since the fields have been reaped, hunters can ride
over the stubble, and can more easily see the fox, also other
animals, which have come out to glean and can be caught for a
thanksgiving banquet after the harvest. A very minor (6.8% coverage)
partial eclipse of the Moon will take place between 7:34 and 8:32
a.m. EDT and will be visible from western and central sections of
North America. November 15, 7:58 p.m. EST -- The Full Beaver Moon.
Time to set beaver traps before the swamps freeze to ensure a supply
of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name
Beaver Full Moon come from the fact that the beavers are now active
in their preparation for winter. Also called the Frosty Moon.
December 15, 11:15 a.m. EST -- The Full Cold Moon; among some
tribes, the Full Long Nights Moon. In this month the winter cold
fastens its grip, and the nights are at their longest and darkest.
Also sometimes called the Moon before Yule (Yule is Christmas, and
this time the Moon is only just before it). The term Long Night Moon
is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed
long and the Moon is above the horizon a long time. The midwinter
full Moon takes a high trajectory across the sky because it is
opposite to the low Sun.



Here is just one of mane sets of names for the Full Moons of the
year. Maybe you have a set you use for your calendar. January 25,
5:32 a.m. EST -- The Full Wolf Moon. Amid the zero cold and deep
snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian
villages. It was also known as the Old Moon or the Moon After Yule.
In some tribes this was the Full Snow Moon; most applied that name
to the next moon. February 23, 11:54 p.m. EST -- The Full Snow Moon.
Usually the heaviest snows fall in this month. Hunting becomes very
difficult, and hence to some tribes this was the Full Hunger Moon.
March 25, 3:58 p.m. EST -- The Full Worm Moon. In this month the
ground softens and the earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return
of the robins. The more northern tribes knew this as the Full Crow
Moon, when the cawing of crows signals the end of winter, or the
Full Crust Moon because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing
by day and freezing at night. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of
tapping maple trees, is another variation. This is also the Paschal
Full Moon; the first full Moon of the spring season. The first
Sunday following the Paschal Moon is Easter Sunday, which indeed
will be observed two days later on Sunday, March 27. April 24, 6:06
a.m. EDT -- The Full Pink Moon. The grass pink or wild ground phlox
is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names
were the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and -- among
coastal tribes -- the Full Fish Moon, when the shad came upstream to
spawn. May 23, 4:18 p.m. EDT -- The Full Flower Moon. Flowers are
abundant everywhere. It was also known as the Full Corn Planting
Moon or the Milk Moon. June 22, 12:14 a.m. EDT -- The Full
Strawberry Moon. Known to every Algonquin tribe. Europeans called it
the Rose Moon. July 21, 7:00 a.m. EDT -- The Full Buck Moon, when
the new antlers of buck deer push out from their foreheads in
coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder
Moon, thunderstorms being now most frequent. Sometimes also called
the Full Hay Moon. The Moon will also be at perigee later this day,
at 4:00 p.m., at a distance of 221,928 mi./357,158 km miles from
Earth. Very high ocean tides can be expected from the coincidence of
perigee with full Moon. August 19, 1:53 p.m. EDT -- The Full
Sturgeon Moon, when this large fish of the Great Lakes and other
major bodies of water like Lake Champlain is most readily caught. A
few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because the moon rises
looking reddish through sultry haze, or the Green Corn Moon or Grain
Moon. September 17, 10:01 p.m. EDT -- The Full Harvest Moon.
Traditionally, this designation goes to the Full Moon that occurs
closest to the Autumnal (Fall) Equinox. In two years out of three,
the Harvest Moon comes in September, but every third year it occurs
in October. At the peak of the harvest, farmers can work into the
night by the light of this moon. Usually the full Moon rises an
average of 50 minutes later each night, but for the few nights
around the Harvest Moon, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same
time each night: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the U.S., and
only 10 to 20 minutes later for much of Canada and Europe. Corn,
pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice -- the chief Indian staples --
are now ready for gathering. October 17, 8:14 a.m. EDT -- The Full
Hunter's Moon. With the leaves falling and the deer fattened, it is
time to hunt. Since the fields have been reaped, hunters can ride
over the stubble, and can more easily see the fox, also other
animals, which have come out to glean and can be caught for a
thanksgiving banquet after the harvest. A very minor (6.8% coverage)
partial eclipse of the Moon will take place between 7:34 and 8:32
a.m. EDT and will be visible from western and central sections of
North America. November 15, 7:58 p.m. EST -- The Full Beaver Moon.
Time to set beaver traps before the swamps freeze to ensure a supply
of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name
Beaver Full Moon come from the fact that the beavers are now active
in their preparation for winter. Also called the Frosty Moon.
December 15, 11:15 a.m. EST -- The Full Cold Moon; among some
tribes, the Full Long Nights Moon. In this month the winter cold
fastens its grip, and the nights are at their longest and darkest.
Also sometimes called the Moon before Yule (Yule is Christmas, and
this time the Moon is only just before it). The term Long Night Moon
is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed
long and the Moon is above the horizon a long time. The midwinter
full Moon takes a high trajectory across the sky because it is
opposite to the low Sun.