Q: On WXII earlier this week, three different names were given for a full moon in February. What are the official names of the full moons during the year?
T.H.
A: There is no "official" list, and lists SAM found in various almanacs and on science websites such as Earthandsky.org and Space.com differed. Many of these names came from American Indian traditions and would vary from one tribe to the next. But here are some of the most common names for full moons:
- Jan. 9 was the Wolf Moon, named that by Indian tribes because wolf packs would be out hunting. It is also known as the Old Moon.
- Feb. 7 was the Snow Moon, named because the heaviest snowfalls are often during this month, or the Hunger Moon, because the bad weather made it difficult to hunt or gather food.
- March 8 will be the Worm Moon, named that because the ground softens enough for earthworms to emerge. It is also known as the Crow Moon, the Crust Moon (because snow cover became crusted from thawing during the day and freezing at night) or the Sap Moon, because it was time to tap maple trees.
- April 6 will be the Pink Moon, because of early-blooming flowers in spring. Other names are the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and the Fish Moon.
- May 5 will be the Flower Moon, because of the abundance of flowers that time of year. It is also known as the Planting Moon or the Milk Moon.
- June 4 will be the Strawberry Moon. It is also known as the Rose Moon.
- July 3 will be the Buck Moon, so named because of antler growth on bucks. It is also known as the Thunder Moon or the Hay Moon.
- August will have two full moons. The first, on Aug. 1, is the Green Corn Moon, the Grain Moon or the Sturgeon Moon. The Aug. 31 moon will be the Corn Moon or the Fruit Moon. Some people will also call this one a "Blue Moon," because it is the second full moon in a month; that is a popular interpretation of the phrase, but according to earthandsky.org, a Blue Moon is actually the third of four full moons in a single season and won't happen again until Aug. 21, 2013. There are usually only three full moons in a season.
- Sept. 29 will be the Harvest Moon, when such foods as corn, pumpkins, squash, beans and wild rice are ready for gathering.
- Oct. 29 is the Hunter's Moon. "With the leaves falling and the deer fattened, it is time to hunt," according to Space.com. "Since the fields have been reaped, hunters can ride over the stubble, and can more easily see the foxes and other animals that have come out to glean and can be caught for a Thanksgiving banquet after the harvest."
- Nov. 28 is the Frost Moon or the Beaver Moon, either because that was the time to set beaver traps "before the swamps freeze to ensure a supply of warm winter furs" or because that was a time when beavers were active in preparation for winter.
- Dec. 28 is the Cold Moon, because that is the time that — our local weather until this weekend notwithstanding — the cold of winter hits and stays; or the Long Light Moon, because of how long the moon hangs above the horizon.
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