Take a look up to the heavens and you’ll see the first supermoon of the year in the sky over Beaufort this weekend. February’s full moon marks the first supermoon of 2020. The Super Snow Moon is set to light up the night sky this weekend, visible to skywatchers provided the weather remains clear.
According to the Farmers’ Almanac, northeastern Native American tribes referred to the second full moon of winter as the Snow Moon because of February’s heavy snow.
This year, it’s a supermoon, which means it will be one of the biggest moons of 2020 and will look especially large when rising and setting.
A supermoon is a full moon that occurs when the moon is at the closest point to earth in its orbit. This moon is important for other reasons as well, according to NASA. The full moon signals the start of Jewish celebrations of Tu BiShvat, known as “New Year of the Trees.”
The Snow Moon is the most widely-used nickname for February’s full moon, but it has also been known as the Storm Moon, Hunger Moon, Magha Purnima, Magha Puja, the Mahamuni Pagoda Festival Moon, and the Chinese Lantern Festival Moon, NASA said.
The moon will be fullest at 2:33 a.m. ET on Sunday, February 9, according to NASA, bringing the first supermoon of year in sky over Beaufort this weekend.
The next full moon, another supermoon, will occur on March 9. There will be two additional supermoons this April and May.
According to NASA, the first week of the month is also a good time to see the planet Mercury, which will be at its highest elevation above the horizon for the year for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere. Viewers can look to the western horizon during clear weather to spot the elusive planet.
