When and the place to look in 2023: Search for the brilliant, spherical full moon ascending within the east shortly after sundown, as twilight darkens on February 5. It glows excessive within the south close to midnight and drops low within the west shortly earlier than dawn on February 6.
Crest of the full moon falls at 18:28 UTC on February 5 (12:28 p.m. CST), which is about 5 hours earlier than moonrise in central North America.
It’s the smallest full moon of 2023 That’s as a result of this full moon is in a far a part of its orbit. A cautious comparability with images of different full moons would present that this full moon seems smaller-than-average in our sky. Will it look smaller to you within the sky? Most likely not. However its brightness shall be diminished, in distinction to different full moons.
It’s additionally the Snow Moon: All full moons have popular nicknames. The brilliant, full moon in February is often referred to as both the Snow Moon or the Starvation Moon.
February’s full moon is the smallest of 2023
Some moons are supermoons. That’s, they’re each full and in a shut a part of their orbits to Earth.
However the February 2023 full moon is a micromoon. It’s significantly removed from Earth. The moon’s farthest level, or apogee, was reached at 9 UTC on February 4.
And the February 2023 micromoon is the second of two micromoons in 2023. The January 2023 full moon was a micromoon, too. However the February full moon is 2023’s farthest – and final – micromoon of this 12 months. Its distance shall be 252,171 miles (405,830 km). Examine that to the typical distance between Earth and the moon, 237,700 miles (382,500 km).
A micromoon can seem as much as 14% smaller than a supermoon, and its smaller measurement may be seen as compared images … nevertheless it’s robust to see with the attention. Nonetheless, this full moon is much less brilliant than a supermoon, or a full moon at a median distance. However “much less brilliant” doesn’t imply dim! This February 2023 full moon will seem to shine brightly, as all full moons do. And it’d seem particularly brilliant to you if you happen to stay in a spot the place it’s winter, the place the leaves are off the deciduous timber now. Does snow cowl the bottom the place you’re? If that’s the case, the moon will look brighter nonetheless.
The composite picture under reveals the distinction in measurement between a supermoon and a micromoon.
February full moon in Leo
The February full moon can lie in entrance of one in every of two constellations of the zodiac and one non-zodiac constellation. Most years – as this 12 months – it falls in Leo the Lion. However it could additionally lie in Cancer the Crab, as it’s going to in 2026. Sometimes, it’s in Sextans the Sextant, an obscure constellation instantly south of Leo.
And much more sometimes, a full moon doesn’t happen in any respect in February. That happened last in 2018. It gained’t occur once more till 2037.
The moon is roundest on the day it reaches the crest of its full phase. However, on the times earlier than and after, it additionally seems almost full.
The star close to this full moon is Regulus
On the evening of February 5, 2023, the moon shines close to the brightest star in Leo. This star is named Regulus, which suggests little king. Everybody on Earth will see Regulus within the moon’s neighborhood on this evening. To see a exact view out of your location, strive Stellarium.
Regulus may seem dim within the glare of the brightly lit moon. For a better view, block the moon along with your hand. Or place your self so {that a} distant panorama object akin to a tree department or a utility pole blocks the moon. Then the star pops into higher view!
February full moon and the August sun
For the reason that full moon is reverse the sun within the sky, the February full moon lies about the place the sun lies six months from now. The truth is, the blindingly brilliant sun strikes instantly under Regulus – in an occasion referred to as a conjunction – within the August 23 daytime sky.
Backside line: The complete Snow Moon occurs in a single day on February 5, 2023. It’s the smallest full moon of 2023 and lies close to the brilliant star Regulus in Leo.
