How February's full moon is linked to snowy weather

Stargazers will have two opportunities to see this month's full moon, an event that is connected to wintry weather across North America.

February is one of the coldest and snowiest months across North America before the arrival of spring, and the wintry end to the season inspires the upcoming astronomical sight.

The Snow Moon will illuminate the night sky during the new week, with the full moon visible on Tuesday night. It will continue to look full on Wednesday night, giving folks two opportunities to see the event.

Clear, wintry nights are ideal for stargazing as there is less moisture in the atmosphere than during other seasons, resulting in crisper views of the moon, planets and stars.

The Snow Moon is just one of many nicknames for February's full moon, which also goes by other names, such as the Groundhog Moon, the Hungry Moon, the Bald Eagle Moon and the Bear Moon.

"Across time, full Moons were used to track the seasons. It was a method of timekeeping. The full Moons were often given special names that reflected nature’s signs," the Old Farmer's Almanac explained on its website.

While people are outside, they should also look for the ongoing planetary parade featuring Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Venus and Saturn.

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Despite the nicknames, the upcoming full moon will look like a typical full moon, but the next one will be much more impressive and worth staying up late to see.

A total lunar eclipse will unfold during the next full moon on the night of Thursday, March 13, into the early morning of Friday, March 14. During the height of the eclipse, the moon will turn red, an event that will be visible across all of North America, weather permitting.

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