2026's Snow Moon: Observe the February full moon ascend near a radiant star grouping

The “Snow Moon” in its complete phase descends beyond the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 25, 2024. (Image source: Getty Images/J. David Ake / Contributor)ShareShare by:

Duplicate link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Reddit
Pinterest
Flipboard
Email

Share this piece 0Join the discussionFollow usInclude us as a favored source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletter

The year 2026’s subsequent full moon, the Snow Moon of February, will emerge Sunday (Feb. 1) together with one of the most exquisite open groupings of stars in the night realm.

The moon will hit its fully illuminated point precisely at 5:09 p.m. EST on Feb. 1 and will display at its finest during twilight at moonrise in your locality. It’ll be positioned in the Leo constellation, suspended under the Beehive Star Cluster. The moon will also look brilliant and complete on Feb. 2.

The optimal way to observe the full moon rise is by discovering an elevated area or a wide-open spot that allows a distinct sight of the eastern skyline. While a full moon is readily visible to the unaided eye, employing a set of binoculars or a worthwhile backyard telescope will expose the Beehive Cluster’s array of over 100 stars. It is also known as M44 and NGC 2632 and stands out as one of the most radiant open clusters and, being 577 light-years distant, one of the closest to our solar arrangement.

You may like

Full moons of 2026: Dates for viewing all 13 moons next year
January ‘Wolf Supermoon’: Instructions to view the full moon paired with Jupiter this weekend
Beaver Supermoon: Catch the year’s grandest, most dazzling full moon tonight

You can locate the Beehive Cluster midway between the brilliant stars called Pollux in the Gemini constellation (located to the upper right of the moon) and Regulus in the Leo constellation (to the lower left of the moon). Spotting Regulus will be more straightforward about an hour after the moon has risen, as will the other luminaries of Leo.

If you observe the sky on Feb. 2, you might have the opportunity to witness Regulus being concealed (appearing to disappear) by the almost-full moon for roughly an hour when seen from portions of North America — a unique occurrence that will not occur again until the late 2030s.

Several bright stars of the Beehive Cluster, a group of roughly 1,000 tight-knit stars

The complete moon during February also goes by names such as the Hungry Moon, the Storm Moon, and the Candles Moon, as noted by NASA. As per the Old Farmer’s Almanac, alternative names for February’s full moon encompass Bald Eagle Moon or Eagle Moon (the Cree name), Bear Moon (Ojibwe), Black Bear Moon (the Tlingit name), Raccoon Moon (Dakota), Groundhog Moon (Algonquin), and Goose Moon (Haida).

Subsequently comes the new moon, on Tuesday, Feb. 17, which will bring about a distinctive annular solar eclipse — frequently referred to as a “ring of fire,” where only the core of the sun’s visible face is obscured by the moon — observable solely from the region of Antarctica.

The succeeding full moon, known as the Worm Moon, will ascend on March 3. This instance will possess added significance, marking a total lunar eclipse. Throughout this remarkable spectacle, commonly termed a “blood moon,” the lunar surface is set to shift into a reddish-copper hue for a duration of 58 minutes, as observed from North America, the Pacific region, Australia, and East Asia.

TOPICSSolar eclipse

Jamie CarterSocial Links NavigationLive Science contributor

Jamie Carter acts as a freelance science journalist situated in Cardiff, U.K. and is a consistent addition to Live Science. He is the mind behind A Stargazing Program For Beginners and co-authored The Eclipse Effect, and directs global stargazing tours along with eclipse hunts. His contributions frequently appear on Space.com, Forbes, New Scientist, BBC Sky at Night, Sky & Telescope, including further recognized science and astronomy releases. Additionally, he holds the position of editor at WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com.

Show More Comments

Prior to commenting, please ensure your public display name is confirmed

You’ll need to log out before logging back in again, after which you’ll be prompted for your preferred display name.

LogoutRead more