Full Moon Rising

February 07, 2012

Here at the library, we know when a full moon is coming. Things get a little crazy… lines get longer, copy machines and printers start acting up, and storytime becomes a free-for-all. This month, the full moon falls on February 7th, and it means more than just odd behavior.

The February full moon is referred to as the Snow Moon since the heaviest snows usually fall during this month. Native American tribes of the north and east may also call this moon the Hunger Moon because of the harsh conditions that make hunting difficult.

The Chinese are a little more optimistic, calling it the Budding Moon in anticipation of spring. I’d like to look at it as the first sign of warmer weather, myself. No matter what name you give the full moon this month, though, we can all look forward to the full Worm Moon of March. That means the return of the robins and the last full moon of winter.

If you want to do further research on full moon names and meanings, you can start with The Farmer’s Almanac. We also have several Science Research Databases on the MCPL website that are even more in depth.

Jessica S.
Colbern Road Branch