The Snow Moon

The full moon of the month of February is known as the Snow Moon. This is the month of the year when the most snow falls, in the Northern part of the United States. It is also known as The Hunger Moon, because of the difficulties of finding sources of food in the winter.

In researching the snow moon, I happened upon an article on the Bustle website. They found other names for the February full moon:

“In Chinese culture…February brought the Budding Moon;  meanwhile, Celtic people called it the Moon of Ice. In the Southern Hemisphere, where the seasons are switched, February is mid-summer; as such, the host of moon names used down there — Grain Moon, Sturgeon Moon, Red Moon, Wyrt Moon, Corn Moon, Dog Moon, Barley Moon — reference abundance instead.
*Source: “What Does The Snow Moon Mean? The February Full Moon Is As Cold As Its Name Suggests” by Maddy Foley

Tonight’s full moon will be a rare sight indeed. In addition to the full moon, there will also be a comet visible tonight. The comet is called: “Comet 45P” It will be visible in the U.S. at 3am.

Also happening tonight in the full moon sky: there will be a prenumbral lunar eclipse. What exactly is a prenumbral lunar eclipse? I have to confess that I did not know what this meant. I found a wonderful article written by Doyle Rice in USA Today that explains this phenomenon:

“A prenumbral eclipse occurs when the outer shadow of the Earth blocks part but not all of the Sun’s rays from reaching the moon.” 
*Source: "Triple treat: Eclipse, comet, full moon all coming Friday night"

In reflecting on all of the happenings tonight, of the occurrence of tonight’s full moon, comet sighting and prenumbral lunar eclipse, I could not even begin to fathom what the meaning of the full moon could be. I found a wonderful article by Sara Couhglin on Refinery 29 that explains the meaning of this month’s moon:

“…this month's full moon represents the restlessness many of us start to feel this time of year. We've just crossed the midpoint between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox (a.k.a. Groundhog Day)….Of course, transitioning between the seasons takes time, and no full moon is going to speed it up. Instead, spend this full moon putting new things in motion that you can watch progress in the coming weeks, months, and even years. This might mean planting something new in your garden, starting a project at work, or committing to a more personal change within yourself.
*Source: "Are You Ready For This Month's Full Moon?" 

This makes perfect sense to me. I am already working on a large project to come to fruition in the coming months-my next book, “Symphonies.” It will be available in the coming months. That is what I will be working on in the coming weeks and months. 

What about you? Think about what you can do in the coming weeks. Start a new hobby. Learn to crochet. Plant an herb garden. Take up Tai Chi. Learn a musical instrument. Begin rehearsing a play. Take up painting. Take an introductory course in a foreign language. Take an online class. Complete that home improvement project you have wanted to accomplish. Begin keeping a journal. Read the book you have always wanted to read. Write the book you have always wanted to write. The possibilities are endless, under the snow moon.




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