A ‘minimoon’ will rise over Illinois soon. Here’s why it will look smaller than usual
A full “snow” moon will be visible in southwestern Illinois in late February, but it won’t look quite as big as most full moons.
The celestial event is unofficially referred to as a “minimoon,” according to astronomy publication Space.com, because it will occur one day before the moon reaches the farthest point from Earth in its orbit. Because it will be farther away from Earth, it won’t look as big to stargazers.
The snow moon gets its name from the relatively frequent snowfall that typically happens in February, the Farmers’ Almanac reports. Other names for the moon include the deep snow moon, ice moon, midwinter moon and more.
Full moons have multiple names, and many come from Indigenous cultures. The Farmers’ Almanac uses Indigenous moon names, along with monikers from colonial America and other North American sources.
Here’s when to look for this month’s full moon in the metro-east.
When can you see the snow moon in Belleville?
The snow moon will become full at 6:31 a.m. Central Standard Time Saturday, Feb. 24, according to NASA, and will appear full from the evening of Thursday, Feb. 22 to Sunday, Feb. 25.
The sun will set at 5:47 p.m. in Belleville Feb. 24 and rise at 6:38 a.m. the next morning, according to online global clock Time and Date.
Saturday night should be clear in Belleville, the National Weather Service St. Louis office forecasts, with a low around 36 degrees Fahrenheit.
The St. Louis Astronomical Society will hold a potluck, Homemade Fest, from 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. Feb. 24 in Kirkwood, Mo. Members and guests are welcome, the event listing says, and those planning to attend can RSVP online at the Night Sky Network.
More full moons in 2024
If you miss the snow moon, you will have 10 more chances to catch a full moon this year, including a few full supermoons.
Here’s this year’s full moon calendar, with information from Space.com:
March 25: Worm moon
April 23: Pink moon
May 23: Flower moon
June 21: Strawberry moon
July 21: Buck moon
Aug. 19: Sturgeon moon (supermoon and blue moon)
Sept. 17: Harvest moon (supermoon and partial lunar eclipse)
Oct. 17: Hunter’s moon (supermoon)
Nov. 15: Beaver moon (supermoon)
Dec. 15: Cold moon
Southern Illinois residents will also have an opportunity to see the 2024 total solar eclipse pass through Carbondale in the afternoon of April 8.
This story was originally published February 16, 2024 at 10:18 AM.
