The Worm Moon a full moon in March 2022
This month, the full moon will take place on March the 18th, known as a worm moon. It raises many questions with its peculiar name. In today’s article, we’ll explain the meaning behind the full moon’s name and tell you the best time for observing it.
The Worm Moon, the last full moon of winter 2022, rises this Friday.
The worm moon will appear bright and full to skywatchers for nearly three days, from Wednesday evening (March 16) to Saturday morning (March 19).
What is a worm moon?
The terms of the full moon reflect peculiarities of the lunar months in which they occur. For example, in America and Europe, the full moon in March is called the worm moon because this month, the earthworms start to appear in the soil that finally warms up after the cold winter season.
By the way, worms attract Robins and other birds, which are the sign of spring. Another spring sign you’ll witness a couple of days after the March full moon is the March equinox. It marks the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere.
March full moon alternative names.
What about other parts of the world besides America and Europe? Here are some examples of how the full moon in March is called in different cultures Chinese
Chinese: Sleepy moon
Celtic moon of winds we can
Wiccan: Chaste Moon
Cherokee: Windy Moon
Southern Hemisphere harvest moon or corn moon
When is the full moon in March 2022
This month the moon will reach its complete phase at 07:18 GMT (that is 03:18 EDT); on March the 18th, 2022, this is the time when the moon and the sun are aligned on opposite sides of the earth, and our natural satellite is 100% illuminated by the sun but even after the moon passes this moment it appears as a complete circle in the sky to the unaided I so the timing, in this case, isn’t so important you will be able to see the entire phase of the moon on several nights around March the 18th
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon, known as the pink moon, will take place on April the 16th, 2022. We’ll explain the story behind this name and provide other helpful information about it closer to the date
What is the bright dot next to the moon tonight?
While observing the moon, you might notice bright objects near it, like stars or planets. To identify them, use the astronomy app sky tonight. Just launch the app and point your device at the sky in the direction of your view, then top the Big Blue button to turn on the augmented reality mode. You will see the sky map overlaid on the image from your device’s camera
if you want to be aware of the planets that will pass near the moon this month, check out the monthly updated articles. There we list all the upcoming planetary conjunctions with the moon
We wish you clear skies and happy star gazing
