February Full Moon: The Snow Moon or New Beginnings

The February full Moon, usually the second full Moon of the year, is traditionally known as snow moonamong other names, and in Asian cultures it is related to new beginnings.

It is a Moon that we do not have every year, although the vast majority do, and that in some places on the planet is one of the most celebrated Moons of the year.

When is the full moon in February?

As reflected in the 2023 lunar calendar, the February 2023 Full Moon occurred last sunday day 5.

From an astronomical point of view, occurred at 7:30 p.m. Spanish peninsular time, with which it came out over the horizon already completely illuminated. the moon was near its peakthe moment of maximum distance from Earth, which could be considered what is known as a “micromoon”, the opposite of what is popularly known as a supermoon.

This February full moon, moreover, has been placed in Leoso that when looking at it in the sky you could see it down to Regulus, the brightest star in this constellation and whose name means “little king”. According to Marga Roldán, an expert in evolutionary astrology, the Full Moon in Leo invites us to question beliefs and attitudes that belong to an ancient “I” and to reflect on what really moves us.

Most years the February Full Moon is in Leo, but sometimes this can change. It will happen, for example, in 2026: the full Moon of this second month of the year will be in Cancer.

When will the full moon be in February 2024?

In 2024, the full moon of February will take place on Saturday 24 at 1:30 p.m.

Why is it called Snow Moon?

The name Snow Moon was given to it by the Native Americans, because February is the month of the year in which the heavy snowfall on the North American continentas in many other areas of the northern hemisphere.

Receive also other names like Moon of Bones and Moon of Hunger. In those times, being a time of the year in which winter is very intense, food was scarce both in the fields and in the forests as well as in the houses. Hunger must have been common in many lands and it must not have been unusual for them to survive by gnawing the bones of the little meat that remained and taking advantage of them to make bone broth. For the Hopi tribe, however, the February full moon was the Moon of purification and renewal.

He american agricultural almanac It collects these names from the North American tradition since 1930 and they are the ones that have become most popular, but many other cultures have named each Moon of the year in relation to their customs and weather. Those names are born from a life in which the contact with the nature it was much narrower and so it is not surprising that, in other parts of the world, the names of the February full Moon have parallel resonances with the North American ones.

Other names for the February full moon

In Europethe Celts referred to the February Moon as Ice Moon or Storm Moon, due to the frosts and storms this month. February is also in much of the northern hemisphere, including Europe, the coldest month of the year. In Spain the record for the coldest temperature ever recorded Since a record has been kept, it is from February 2, 1956, when -32º C was reached in Lake Gento, in Lérida.

In Asia, the February full moon arrives fifteen days after the lunar year begins. Many Asian cultures, while following the Gregorian calendar, organize their festivities around the lunar calendar and celebrate the start of the year with festivities beginning with the first new moon of the lunar year and continuing for two weeks until the full moon occurs. This Full Moon is usually the February Full Moon, which being the first Full Moon of the lunar year tends to be associated with new beginnings.

In Chinathe Chinese New Year celebrations, which begin with the new moon in January, culminate with the celebration of the Lantern Festival, also known as Yuanxiao Festival. This festival takes place on the full moon, usually the full moon in February. The traditional dessert that is served on this full moon night are some ball shaped dumplings, perhaps symbolizing that completely illuminated Moon. In southern and central China they are known as Tangyuan, made with glutinous rice flour and served in a broth or syrup, while in the north of the country they are called Yuanxiao and are usually served in a small basket.

In the Hindu tradition, this full moon (Purnima) is known as maghapurnima, the full moon of the month Magha. It is usually the full moon in February, like this year, although some years it can fall in January. It is a full Moon with a lot of spiritual significance and an important milestone in the Hindu calendar. During the month of Magha people take a bath in the Ganges, Yamuna and other rivers every morning, as purification ritual. It is a month in which you are invited to practice austerity and charity. The ritual culminates on the day of the full moon, in which homage is paid to him.

What is the February black moon?

Since the lunar cycle lasts 29.5 days It may be the case that in February, which has only 28 or 29 days, some year there is no full Moon. The last time this happened was in 2018 and it will happen again in 2037. When February does not have a full moon, it is called a black moon.

“Black Moon” is not an astronomical term, but the popular denomination of this curiosity. In fact, it is popularly used to also designate other Moons, such as the second new Moon of a month in which two new Moons occur (the equivalent of the Blue Moon in terms of full Moons) or it is even the way some refer to to the new Moon itself, for looking black.