The first super moon of the decade is coming this weekend.
The "Super Snow Moon" will rise in the east on the night of Saturday, February 8 and come to its highest point in the sky around midnight while reaching "peak fullness" at 2:34 a.m. ET on Sunday, February 9, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. The name "Super Snow Moon" is based on the ancient understanding that the moon helped determine the current season. Since February is typically associated with heavy snowfall, the term "Snow Moon" was born.
NASA points out that the "Snow Moon" has gone by other names, including, Storm Moon, Hunger Moon, the Mahamuni Pagoda Festival Moon, the Chinese Lantern Festival Moon, and Sailor Moon. OK, that last one is obviously a joke.
Since this particular "Snow Moon" matches with the arrival of the super moon, an instance where a full moon appears to be larger and brighter than normal when it sits at its closest point to Earth, this occurrence is recognized as a "Super Snow Moon."
February's "Super Moon" will be the first of four super moons in 2020 with the other ones expected to occur in each of the next three months, starting with the "Super Worm Moon" on Monday, March 9.
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