Full Moon Names Explained FAQs

Full Moon Names Explained:

What's a Super Moon?

A full moon when the moon is at within 90% of it's closest approach to Earth (perigee), which means it appears bigger and brighter, is called a supermoon or perigee full moon.

What's a Blood Moon?

The moon looks reddish because it's passing through Earth's shadow.

What is a Full Moon?

A full moon occurs when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon.

What's a New Moon?

A new moon occurs when the moon is between the Sun and the Earth.

What's a Blue Moon?

A second full moon in a calendar month is called a blue moon. This happens occasionally because calendar months don't exactly follow the lunar cycle.

How often is there a blue moon?

Without getting into the mathematics of blue moons there's a blue moon once every few years. The next seasonal blue moon occurs on 22 August 2021.

What's a Super Snow Moon?

A full moon in February is called a snow moon and it's also super because the moon is at its closest point to earth.

What's a Micromoon?

A full moon or new moon which occurs at apogee (when the Moon's orbit close to its furtherest point from Earth) is called an apogee moon or micromoon.

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January full moonWolf moonSo called because of the howling of hungry wolves by the Anglo-Saxons and native Americans.Old moon, ice moonFebruary full moonSnow moonThe weather in the northern hemisphere has typically been snowy in February.Hunger moon, storm moonMarch full moonWorm moonBecause of the visible worm trails (earthworm casts) on freshly thawed ground reappear in March inviting the return of the robin.Chaste moon, crust moon, death moon, sap moon (after Maple tree tapping)April full moonPink moonNative Americans named this after an early blooming pink wild flower.Sprouting grass moon, fish moonMay full moonFlower moonAfter the blooming of flowers by many cultures.Milk moon, corn planting moon, hare moonJune full moonStrawberry moon / Rose moonStrawberry harvesting in north America, rose moon in Europe.Hot moonJuly full moonBuck moonNative Americans noticed male deer shed and regrow their antlers during July.Hay moon (after the harvest), thunder moon (after summer storms)August full moonSturgeon moonSo called by north American fisherman due to the abundance during August.Grain moon, green corn moon, grain moon, red moonSeptember full moonHarvest moonBright moon which and rises early makes it easier for farmers to gather the crops into the evening.Corn moon, barley moonOctober full moonHunters moonBright moon in sky for a long term, perfect for hunting the now empty fields.Dying grass moon, travel moonNovember full moonBeaver moonNamed after beaver dam-building activities or native Americans beaver trapping in Novemberfrost moonDecember full moonCold moonIt’s winter and it’s cold in the northern hemisphere.Long night moon, oak moon