NAME THAT MOON...
“DID you see the worm moon?” asked my friend. All sorts of unusual images popped into my head. Later I discovered that the worm moon is the nickname of the full moon in March.
A full moon occurs when the Moon is on the other side of the Earth to the Sun. Its near side is fully lit up. On average this happens every 29.5 days.
Over the centuries, the different moons have been given names.
Wolf moon (aka old moon, ice moon)
Thought to have been inspired by the sound of hungry wolves howling in a January winter wasteland.
Snow moon (aka storm or hunger moon)
The weather gives February’s full moon its name.
Worm moon (aka death or sap moon)
March’s full moon heralds the arrival of spring. As the ground warmed up, Native Americans noticed worms would appear.
Pink moon (aka sprouting grass or egg moon)
Native Americans named April’s full moon the pink moon. It coincided with the blossoming of a wildflower.
Flower moon (aka corn-planting moon, hare moon)
May’s full moon occurs when spring is well underway and colourful flowers are in full bloom.
Strawberry moon (aka rose or hot moon)
This coincides with June’s strawberry harvest. It is known in some cultures as the hot moon, marking the beginning of summer.
Buck moon (aka hay or thunder moon)
July is the time when male deer begin to grow their antlers, having shed them earlier in the season.
Sturgeon moon (aka red moon or grain moon)
There are plenty of fish to be found in August, hence the name of this full moon. It is sometimes known as the red moon as the summer heat gives it a reddish tint.
Full corn moon (aka barley moon, harvest moon)
September is the time to gather in crops. This full moon rises early so farmers can work into the night.
Hunter’s moon (aka dying grass moon, travel moon)
Vegetation begins to thin in October as winter approaches and hunters are able to spot animals more easily.
Beaver moon (aka frost moon)
November is the time when beavers are busy gnawing wood to build their dams, ready for winter.
Cold moon (aka long night moon or oak moon)
As temperatures fall, December’s full moon marks the coming of winter.
And finally...
It takes the Moon 354 days (11 days less than a year) to complete 12 full cycles. Roughly every two and a half years, these extra days add up to another 13th full moon – a blue moon.