The full Worm “Blood” Moon reaches its peak in the morning hours of Friday, March 14.
this is more than just another full Moon! There is also going to be a Total Lunar Eclipse, also known as a Blood Moon. During a lunar eclipse, the Sun, Moon, and Earth all align so that the Earth comes in between the Moon and Sun. This means that the Earth will cast a shadow over the Moon (also known as the umbra). When the Moon is in the umbra of the Earth, the Earth casts a reddish shadow, hence the name Blood Moon.
you don’t have to wait until the middle of the night to see the Moon! Look for the spectacularly bright Moon as it rises above the horizon on Thursday evening. If your weather is poor on Thursday night, try again on Friday
If you have just a bit of rain on either of these nights, you may even get to spot a rare phenomenon called a moonbow. A moonbow is just like a solar rainbow but is created by moonlight (rather than sunlight) when it is refracted through water droplets in the air. Moonbows only happen when the full Moon is fairly low in the sky, so look for one in the hours after sunset when the sky is dark.
This March Moon will look especially large to us when it’s near the horizon because of the “Moon illusion,” which is when it looks bigger when near comparative objects than it does when it’s high in the sky without any references.
March’s full Moon goes by the name Worm Moon.
this name referred to the earthworms that appear as the soil warms in spring. This invites robins and other birds to feed—a true sign of spring
There are quite a few names for the March Moon that speak to the transition from winter to spring. Some refer to the appearance (or reappearance) of certain animals, such as the Eagle Moon, Goose Moon (Algonquin, Cree), or Crow Comes Back Moon (Northern Ojibwe), while others refer to signs of the season:
- The Sugar Moon (Ojibwe) marks the time of year when the sap of sugar maples starts to flow.
- The Wind Strong Moon (Pueblo) refers to the strong, windy days that come at this time of year.
- The Sore Eyes Moon (Dakota, Lakota, Assiniboine) highlights the blinding rays of sunlight that reflect off the melting snow of late winter.
