Illinois will soon see a ‘snow’ moon peak, along with a planetary parade later
Illinois stargazers can soon see a full “snow” moon peak, along with a “planetary parade” later in February.
February’s full moon is called the snow moon because the month can be the snowiest of the year across the U.S., according to the popular Old Farmer’s Almanac. This January has proven particularly snowy in the metro-east and across several states, however. Southwestern Illinois towns saw 6 to 11 inches of snow in late January from Winter Storm Fern.
Other names for February’s full moon include the bald eagle moon, black bear moon, raccoon moon, groundhog moon and more.
Full moons have multiple names, and many come from Indigenous cultures. The Old Farmer’s Almanac uses Indigenous moon names, along with monikers from colonial America and other North American sources.
The snow moon will peak at 4:09 p.m. Central Standard Time Sunday, Feb. 1, according to astronomy publication Space.com. Since the moon’s peak will take place before sunset, you may get a better view later that evening. The sun will set over Belleville at 5:22 p.m. Feb. 1, online clock Time and Date reports.
The full moon generally appears full the day before and the day after its peak. While Sunday night is expected to be mostly cloudy in Belleville, the National Weather Service St. Louis office forecasts Saturday night will be mostly clear. It’s expected to be a cold weekend, with temperatures ranging from 1 to 18 degrees Fahrenheit Saturday and 15 to 26 degrees Sunday.
Longer days are coming to the metro-east soon as daylight saving time approaches, although some lawmakers have advocated for stopping the practice. By the end of February, Belleville will see the sun set at 5:52 p.m., with 7 p.m. and later sunsets beginning in March.
Along with the snow moon, Illinois stargazers can look forward to a “planetary parade” Saturday, Feb. 28, which NASA describes as one of the “top astronomical events happening this year.”
The astronomical event will feature six planets in the evening sky, with Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter appearing shortly after sunset, according to NASA. You’ll need a telescope to see Uranus and Neptune, but the other four planets should be visible to the naked eye, weather-permitting.
Full moons in 2026
After the snow moon, stargazers will have 11 more opportunities to see a full moon this year. Here’s when to look, from Astronomy.com:
- Tuesday, March 3: Worm moon and total lunar eclipse
- Wednesday, April 1: Pink moon
- Friday, May 1: Flower moon
- Sunday, May 31: Blue moon
- Monday, June 29: Strawberry moon
- Wednesday, July 29: Buck moon
- Friday, Aug. 28: Sturgeon moon and partial lunar eclipse
- Saturday, Sept. 26: Corn moon
- Monday, Oct. 26: Hunter’s moon
- Tuesday, Nov. 24: Beaver moon (supermoon)
- Wednesday, Dec. 23: Cold moon (supermoon)
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