Snow Moon 2023: Exactly When To See February’s Full Moon Rise From Where You Live

No prizes for guessing how February’s full “Snow Moon” got its name. It’s also been called the “Ice Moon” and “Storm Moon,” but whatever its popular name there’s no doubt that the rising of the full Moon each month is one of the most beautiful sites in nature.

Not when it’s “up,” but when it appears on the horizon. A full Moon high in the sky is way too bright to look at for more than a second or so (try it—it hurts!), but a full Moon slowly being revealed on the north-eastern horizon during dusk is colored orange, then a muted yellow as it rises slightly higher.

The physics is much like a sunset or sunrise, but regardless, it happens only once a month. Sure, you can see any moon rise in the sink in a similar color, but it’s at its most impactful on the one night of the month when our satellite is opposite the Sun.

This has two impacts. Not only is a full Moon opposite the Sun, allowing us to see its entire face, but it’s also the only night of the month when the Moon rises as the Sun sets, and sets as the Sun rises. So a full Moon is “up” all night, but it also rises and sets during dusk, which makes it a much more impactful thing to see.

It’s partly because of something called “moon illusion.” For reasons not fully understood, the human brain interprets the moon as looking bigger when it’s viewed on the horizon, in the context of the trees and buildings.

That’s despite this month’s full Moon occuring at apogee, making it a relatively small-looking (and possibly slightly dimmer) full Moon. Apogee refers to the Moon being at its farthest point from Earth on its monthly orbital path, which is slightly elliptical.

This month the full “Snow Moon” will turn full at exactly 18:28 UTC on Sunday, February 5, 2023, a global time. From North America, it will be best viewed that evening at moonrise for your location because the full Moon will rise during dusk. From Europe there is no good match between the time of sunset and moonrise, with the full Moon rising either into a sunlit sky (Sunday) or a dark sky (Monday). However, Monday will offer the best view.

Here are the exact times to see February’s “Snow Moon” from a few key cities, but do check the exact times of moonrise and moonset for your location. If you don’t see the full Moon peek above the northeastern horizon at precisely these times, don’t worry. It will appear for sure soon after!

When to see February’s full Moon from North America: just after sunset on Sunday, February 5, 2023

Sunday evening offers the best opportunity to see the full “Snow Moon” rise into a twilight sky from North America:

  • In New York sunset is at 5:11 p.m. EST and moonrise is at 5:17 p.m. EST (the moment of full Moon is at 1:30 p.m. EST).
  • In Los Angeles sunset is at 5:26 p.m. EST and moonrise is at 5:32 p.m. EST (the moment of full Moon is at 10:30 a.m. EST).

When to see February’s full Moon from Europe: just after sunset on Monday, February 6, 2023

Saturday evening offers the best opportunity to see the full “Snow Moon” rise into a twilight sky as seen from Europe:

  • In London sunset is at 4:57 p.m. GMT and moonrise is at 5:36 p.m. GMT (full Moon is at 6:30 p.m. the previous evening).

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon after the “Snow Moon” is the “Worm Moon” on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.

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