Skygazers are in for a treat tonight as the February Snow Moon 2022 is due to stand proud in the sky.
Every month, and sometimes twice a month if there is a Blue Moon, a full moon graces our skies. Full moons occur when the orb is opposite the sun, and its sunlit side is entirely visible from Earth.
February's full moon is also known as the Snow Moon, and is the second full moon of the year.
Here's everything you need to know about the Snow Moon, including how it got its name, and the exact time it will peak in the UK.
What is the Snow Moon?
February tends to be the coldest month in the UK, so it may come as no surprise that this month's full moon is known as the Snow Moon.
February tends to be a cold month across the whole northern hemisphere, and this is the widely accepted name for it.
The name comes from the Old Farmer's Almanac, which is a reference book containing weather forecasts, planting charts, astronomical data and more.
Historically, the moons were used to track the seasons, and the names fame from Native American sources that were passed down through generations.
February's full moon is known as the Snow Moon because of the heavy snowfall that typically happens during the month.
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the term was first used in the 1760s by Captain Jonathan Carver.
The early explorer of North America wrote that it would be called the Snow Moon because "more snow commonly falls during this month than any other in the winter".
Carver's claims were backed up by data from the National Weather Service in the United States, according to the Almanac.
When is the February Snow Moon?
The Snow Moon falls on Wednesday, February 16.
It will reach its peak in the UK at 4.56pm, according to the Royal Observatory Greenwich. However, it will be most visible in the early hours of the evening, after it gets dark.
Although it will only truly be full for a short amount of time, it will stay visible for around three days. So there will be plenty of opportunities to see it.
When is the next full moon?
There is no Blue Moon in February, which is when two full moons occur in one calendar month.
So that means the next time you have the chance to see a full moon is on March 18.
Here is a full list of the remaining full moons of 2022:
- March 18
- April 16
- May 16
- June 14
- July 13
- August 12
- September 10
- October 9
- November 8
- December 8
