THE Worm Moon was the most recent full moon of 2020, and was hailed by some as a Supermoon.
But what is a Full Moon and what makes one "Super"? Here's all you need to know.
What is a Full Moon?
Full Moons mark the midway point of the lunar calendar when the Moon finds itself directly across from the Sun.
Although astronomers prefer the term Full Moon at perigee or perigee Moon, amateur astronomers refer to the phenomenon as a Supermoon.
Because they occur every 29 and a half days, there are sometimes 13 a year – as there are in 2020.
Each month's Full Moon has a special name.
This is because Native American tribes kept track of the months of the year by the lunar calendar.
Here’s the full list of upcoming Full Moons and the dates they fall on in 2020.
When's the next Full Moon in 2020?
The next Full Moon will be the April Pink Moon.
A Supermoon will grace the skies on April 7.
The best time to see it is 10:35pm.
What is the difference between a Full Moon and New Moon?
Both a full circle, it is easy to get Full Moons and New Moons confused.
A New Moon is the start of a new lunar phase, when the sun and moon have the same ecliptic longitude.
At the end of a lunar phase, a Full Moon is bright white, because it's reflecting the light from the sun, but a New Moon is dark, except for a tiny slither (waxing crescent) around the edge.
When are all the Full Moons of 2020?
JANUARY 2020: Wolf Moon
The first moon of 2020 was a Wolf Moon.
It's called this as wolves can be heard howling in America.
It can be spotted in the sky on January 10 from 5.08pm and end at roughly 9.12pm.
The best time to view it is 7.21pm.
This year the Wolf Moon is also a penumbral lunar eclipse.
FEBRUARY 2020: Super Snow Moon
The second Full Moon of the year will be the Super Snow Moon on February 9.
The moon is named after America's snowy season.
Some call it the Hunger Moon, because of the difficult hunting conditions at this time.
In 2020 it is also a Supermoon meaning it is “a new or full moon which occurs with the moon at or near (within 90 per cent of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit”.
MARCH 2020: Super Worm Moon
This particular spectacle has many names – and can also be known as the Sap Moon, Crow Moon or Lenten Moon.
It will fall on March 9 this year, and is best viewed at 5.47pm and is the second consecutive Supermoon of the year.
APRIL 2020: Super Pink Moon
Despite its name, it isn't a pink coloured moon.
This spectacle is named after the wildflowers which grow in the United States and Canada in the spring.
It's also known as the Egg Moon or Fish Moon, because of the shad fish that swim upstream at this time of year.
This moon is particularly important because it is used to fix the date of Easter, which falls on the first Sunday after the Pink Moon, and marks the start of the Jewish Passover.
The Supermoon will fall on April 8. Easter then follows on Sunday, April 12.
MAY 2020: Super Flower Moon
This moon will fall on May 7 and signifies the blooming of flowers and the variety that bare their petals in May – it is also known as Corn Planting Moon and Milk Moon.
It is the fourth consecutive Supermoon in 2020.
JUNE 2020: Strawberry Moon
This moon gets its name as it is the time the fruit ripens.
This year it will be on June 5 and will feature the second penumbral lunar eclipse of the year.
It's best viewed at 8.12pm.
Other names for it are Hot Moon, Mead Moon and Rose Moon.
JULY 2020: Thunder Moon
Also known as the Buck Moon, as new antlers emerge from bucks' foreheads around this time of the year.
It is named after the thunderstorms which typically fall during this month.
It will be on July 5 at 5.44am, and will see yet another penumbral lunar eclipse.
AUGUST 2020: Sturgeon Moon
Native Americans named this moon after the large number of sturgeon fish in the lakes at this time.
It's also known as the Green Corn Moon, Barley Moon, Fruit Moon or Grain Moon and will rise on August 3.
SEPTEMBER 2020: Full Corn Moon
The Corn Moon is often replaced by the Harvest Moon.
This is when the September moon is close to the equinox.
As it falls early in the month, on the second, the September moon is the Corn Moon in 2020.
It is also known as the Barley Moon as this is the time of year when corn or barley is harvested.
You can see it at at 6.22am.
OCTOBER 2020: Harvest Moon
There are two Full Moons in October, the first of which is the Harvest Moon.
This Full Moon, which falls closest to the September equinox on the 22nd, is named after the Harvest season.
It will shine on October 1, and is best viewed at 10.05pm.
The month of the Harvest Moon varies with it appearing in October every three years.
When it appears in October the September Moon is known as Full Corn Moon.
OCTOBER 2020: Blue Moon
The later October moon is called the Blue Moon in 2020 because it's the second in the month, which happens once in a Blue Moon.
The October Full Moon is usually called the Hunter's Moon.
This is because people planned ahead to winter, with October traditionally becoming a big time for hunting game – which were becoming fatter thanks to falling grains.
It's also known as the Travel Moon or, rather depressingly, the Dying Grass Moon.
It will be on Halloween, October 31, in 2020.
NOVEMBER 2020: Mourning Moon
The Mourning Moon marks the beginning of the end and in many cultures it is connected to death and loss.
It is also called the Reed Moon by Celtic cultures because it is compared to the mournful music made by wind instruments to the sounds of spirits being taken to the underworld.
In the US it is known as Beaver Moon.
This year, it will be on November 30 and will feature the final penumbral lunar eclipse of 2020.
DECEMBER 2020: Cold Moon
There's no prizes for guessing how this wintry moon got its name.
This year, it will shine its brightest here on December 20.
It will be the last Full Moon in 2020.
Source: Read Full Article