The bright waxing gibbous moon will pass the faint but distinct Circlet asterism in Pisces the Fish on the evenings of December 19 and 20, 2023. The moon and the Circlet will be visible as darkness falls and will set after midnight.

December 19: 1st quarter moon

The instant of 1st quarter moon will fall at 18:39 UTC (12:39 p.m. CST), on December 19, 2023. The 1st quarter moon rises around noon your local time and sets around midnight.

EarthSky Minute, December 18-21, 2023

See what’s in store for in the sky for the coming days.

The 2024 lunar calendars are here! Best Christmas gifts in the universe! Check ’em out here.

EarthSky Minute, moon phases December 2023

December 21 and 22 evenings: Moon near Jupiter

On the evenings of December 21 and 22, 2023, the waxing gibbous moon will glow near the bright planet Jupiter. The moon and Jupiter will set several hours after midnight.

December solstice: December 21-22

The December solstice is at 3:27 UTC on December 22, 2023 (9:27 p.m. December 21 CST). Winter arrives in the Northern Hemisphere and summer arrives in the Southern Hemisphere.

December 22: Mercury will pass between Earth and the sun

Mercury will reach the point in its orbit known as inferior conjunction – when it passes between Earth and the sun – at 19 UTC on December 22.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

December 22-23 mornings: Ursid meteor shower

The predicted peak of the Ursid meteor shower is on the early mornings of December 22 and 23, 2023. The best time to watch is before dawn and after the waxing gibbous moon has slipped below the horizon.

December 23 and 24 evenings: Moon near the Pleiades

The bright waxing gibbous moon will pass the Pleiades star cluster on the evenings of December 23 and 24, 2023. The Pleiades is also known as the Seven Sisters or Messier 45 and appears as a glittering, bluish cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus the Bull. The moon and Pleiades will cross the sky together until about an hour before sunrise.

December 25 all night: Moon near Capella, Aldebaran and Betelgeuse

December 25, 2023, the bright waxing gibbous moon will lie near a trio of bright stars. It’ll be near the fiery orange star Aldebaran of Taurus the Bull and Orion’s mighty red supergiant star Betelgeuse. The bright golden star is Capella of the constellation Auriga the Charioteer. If you catch Capella low on the horizon, it may be flashing like a small disco ball. You can follow them all night until sunrise.

December 26-27, all night: Full Moon

The instant of full moon will fall at 0:33 UTC on December 27, 2023 (6:33 p.m. CST December 26).

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

December 26 and 27 evenings: Moon near Castor and Pollux

On the evening of December 26, 2023, the full moon will pass Castor and Pollux, the twin stars of Gemini. Then on the evening of December 27, the waning gibbous moon will be closer to the Twin Stars of Gemini. They’ll rise a few hours after sunset and be visible traveling across the sky all night.

December 29 morning: Moon near the Beehive

For the second time this month, the moon will slide by the famous – but faint – Beehive star cluster. This time it will be a waning gibbous moon on the morning of December 29, 2023. You will need binoculars to spot the dozens of stars in the busy Beehive star cluster. Also nearby will be the twin stars, Castor and Pollux, in the constellation Gemini. They’ll rise late the night before and be high in the morning sky.

December 30 and 31 mornings: Moon near the Sickle

On the mornings of December 30 and 31, 2023, the waning gibbous moon will float near Regulus, marking the bottom of the backward question mark asterism called the Sickle. Regulus is the brightest star in Leo the Lion. And the moon will lie close to Regulus on the final morning of 2023. They’ll rise late in the evening the night before and be high in the morning sky.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

Planets in December 2023

December mornings: Venus

The blazing light of Venus will continue to dominate the morning sky through the end of the year. However, it will be sinking lower each morning after it reached its greatest elongation from the sun in October. Luckily, it will rise early enough to see it in dark skies. Venus will begin the month at -4.2 magnitude and will dim slightly as it recedes from Earth, ending the month at -4.1 magnitude. A lovely waning crescent moon will join Venus on the morning of December 9, 2023, when they appear about 4 degrees apart. Also, Venus will appear close to the star Spica at the beginning of the month, and then they drift apart more each morning. Venus begins the month in the constellation Virgo the Maiden and will move into Libra the Scales by mid-month. Then by month’s end, it will be in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion.

December most of the night: Jupiter

Bright Jupiter will draw your attention most of the night. It will be very obvious in the east at sunset and will be visible until a few hours before dawn. It will shine near the pretty Pleiades star cluster in the constellation Taurus the Bull. Jupiter reached its closest point to the Earth in early November. And it reached opposition overnight on November 2-3, 2023, when we flew between it and the sun. So, as Jupiter recedes from Earth, it’ll fade a bit in our sky. It will lie in the dim constellation Aries the Ram. It will shine at -2.7 magnitude by month’s end. The waxing gibbous moon will float by Jupiter on December 22, 2023.

December evenings: Saturn

Golden Saturn will shine in the southwest after sunset during December. It will be in the dim constellation Aquarius the Water Bearer. Our solar system’s beautiful ringed planet will be fading a bit this month as it recedes from Earth and will shine at +0.9 magnitude for most of the month. Saturn will be a little brighter than the nearby lonely star, Fomalhaut, which shines around 1st magnitude. The waxing gibbous moon will visit Saturn on the evenings of December 17, 2023. Saturn will set by mid-evening your local time this month.

December evenings: Mercury

Mercury will be emerging low in the morning sky the last few days of the year on its way to its first greatest morning elongation of 2024.

Where’s Mars?

It’s too close to the sun in the morning sky to be visible for the rest of 2023. It’ll be back next year.

Thank you to all who submit images to EarthSky Community Photos! View community photos here. We love you all. Submit your photo here.

Looking for a dark sky? Check out EarthSky’s Best Places to Stargaze.

Sky dome maps for visible planets and night sky

The sky dome maps come from master astronomy chart-maker Guy Ottewell. You’ll find charts like these for every month of 2023 in his Astronomical Calendar.

Guy Ottewell explains sky dome maps

Heliocentric solar system planets

The sun-centered charts come from Guy Ottewell. You’ll find charts like these for every month of 2023 in his Astronomical Calendar.

Guy Ottewell explains heliocentric charts.

Some resources to enjoy

For more videos of great night sky events, visit EarthSky’s YouTube page.

Watch EarthSky’s video about Two Great Solar Eclipses Coming Up

Don’t miss anything. Subscribe to daily emails from EarthSky. It’s free!

Visit EarthSky’s Best Places to Stargaze to find a dark-sky location near you.

Post your own night sky photos at EarthSky Community Photos.

Translate Universal Time (UTC) to your time.

See the indispensable Observer’s Handbook, from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Visit Stellarium-Web.org for precise views from your location.

Almanac: Bright Planets (rise and set times for your location).

Visit TheSkyLive for precise views from your location.

Bottom line: Visible planets: Venus dominates the morning sky. Jupiter is visible most of the night, Saturn sets late evenings and Mercury is low on the western horizon. Visible planets and night sky, here!

The post Visible planets and night sky for December first appeared on EarthSky.

The crest of the November 2023 full moon will fall at 3:16 a.m. CT (9:16 UTC) on Monday, November 27. So – for the Americas – the fullest moon will come overnight on Sunday, November 26. And the fullest moon for Asia will fall on November 27. But all of us will see a bright, nearly full moon this weekend. As a bonus, this weekend’s moon is near the bright planet Jupiter in the night sky.

On the night of full moon – November 26-27 – the bright, round full moon will be climbing in the east, as night falls. And we’ll all find the moon on both Sunday and Monday nights glowing high in the south near midnight and dropping low in the west near sunrise before dawn.

Full-moon is a whole-Earth event. And every full moon is opposite the sun, rising when the sun sets and setting when the sun rises. At full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon form a line in space, with Earth in the middle. It’s at this time that the moon’s fully lighted hemisphere – its day side – faces Earth most directly.

And Jupiter? It’s no accident this mighty planet is near this month’s full moon. Earth passed between Jupiter and the sun in November 2023. A full moon is opposite the sun. And Jupiter was opposite the sun last month, at its opposition. So, as Earth and mighty Jupiter have moved on in their orbits around the sun, Jupiter is still nearly opposite the sun as seen from Earth. So Jupiter and this weekend’s full moon appear together in the sky.

The 2024 lunar calendars are here! Best Christmas gifts in the universe! Check ’em out here.

November full moon is Beaver or Frosty Moon

All the full moons have popular nicknames. If the full moon in November falls before November 7, it’s called the Hunter’s Moon.

Otherwise, as in 2023, you can call November’s full moon the Beaver Moon, or Frosty Moon. In November, North American beavers are preparing their dens – and stocking up on food – for the coming cold months.

We also hear the name Digging Moon for this November full moon, because of the last chances for seasonal foraging by forest animals.

The moon’s path across the sky

In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun travels across the southern sky each day in a short, low arc. So the full moon, being opposite the sun in the sky, travels in a long, high arc across the night sky. Now consider the moon’s path six months ago or six months from now. A May full moon travels in a short, low arc, while the May sun moves in a long, high arc. See? At full moon, the sun and moon are opposite each other in space.

Why is the full moon so bright?

All full moons are bright. And their strong glow lightens the sky enough to blot out all but the bright planets and brightest of stars.

There are two major reasons the full moon is so bright. First and most obviously, a full moon isn’t a point of light, like a star or a planet. It covers a much-larger area of our sky, and so reflects more of the sun’s intense light. But secondly, and most importantly, the sun is so bright. It’s some 400,000 times that of the moon. And moonlight is just reflected sunlight. So the moon isn’t really bright in and of itself. In fact, the moon’s surface has a relatively low reflectivity, similar to that of asphalt.

If the moon had a reflectivity matching that of snow, the full moon would be over five times brighter!

November full moon in Taurus

The November full moon can lie in front of one of three constellations of the zodiac. Most years, as it does this year, it falls in Taurus the Bull. But it can also be in Aries the Ram as it will be in 2025.

Very infrequently, November’s full moon lies in the sprawling constellation just southwest of Taurus, called Cetus the Whale.

The moon is roundest on the day that it’s full. But the day before and after, it appears almost, but not quite round and full in our sky.

Bottom line: The November full moon will fall overnight on November 26-27, 2023. Bright Jupiter will be nearby. And the Pleiades star cluster will lie in the moon’s glare.

The post November full moon and Jupiter this weekend first appeared on EarthSky.

When and where to look in 2023: As seen from around the globe, look for the bright, round full supermoon rising in the east at sunset on September 28. It’ll glow highest in the sky near midnight, and drop low in the west before sunrise on September 29. This is the full moon closest to the equinox and so we call it a Harvest Moon.
Crest of the full moon falls at 9:57 UTC (4:57 a.m. CDT) on September 29, 2023. So many will say that the full moon – and the Harvest Moon – falls on September 29. That’s equally true and valid!

The 2023 super Harvest Moon will lie between two bright planets. Golden Saturn will rise over an hour before the full moon and travel ahead of it in the sky through the night. Our solar system’s largest planet, very bright Jupiter, will rise about 90 minutes after the moon. See the chart above. And check Stellarium.org for a precise view from your location.

Harvest Moon isn’t just a name. It denotes a time of year when the full moon – as seen from the Northern Hemisphere – has special characteristics. Find out more about the Harvest Moon below, or check out our video.

Harvest Moon is special

We in the Northern Hemisphere have long called the full moon closest to the September equinox by the name Harvest Moon. That name – Harvest Moon – might be the best known full moon name of the year. This year, the September equinox occurs at 6:50 UTC (1:50 a.m. CDT) on September 23, 2023. The full moon falls about six days later.

What’s special about a Harvest Moon? As seen across Earth, the moon on average rises about 50 minutes later each day, as it orbits Earth. But in mid-to-late September – for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere – that moonrise time drops to 20 minutes later each day around the time of full moon. The higher the latitude, the shorter the interval between successive moonrises.

September full moon and the ecliptic

Why? It’s because the ecliptic – or path of the sun, moon and planets across our sky – makes a narrow angle with the eastern horizon near sunset, around the time of the autumn equinox. For Northern Hemisphere observers, that means September or October. For Southern Hemisphere observers, it means March or April. The narrow angle of the ecliptic to the evening horizon – around the time of the autumn equinox – gives us the short interval between successive moonrises and the Harvest Moon.

Click here for a printable calendar showing the time of moonrise for your location

And a short interval between successive moonrises means that – for several evenings in a row, around the time of this September full moon – you’ll find a full or nearly full-looking moon low in the east in evening twilight. Before the days of electric lights, the early evening light of this full moon let farmers working in the fields have more time to work, before darkness settled. Hence, the name Harvest Moon.

And, by the way, for the Southern Hemisphere at this full moon, there’s a particularly long interval between successive moonrises!

It’s also a supermoon

Yes, the September full moon is another supermoon. As you might recall, the last three full moons were supermoons as well. In fact, the September Harvest Moon is the last of four supermoons in a row for 2023.

How close is it? The moon will be 224,658 miles (361,552 km) away. Comparatively, the average distance between Earth and the moon is 238,900 miles (384,472 km). So – while the September 28-29 full moon might not look bigger to the eye – it’ll surely look brighter than an average full moon.

And of course since it’s closer than usual it’ll also be pulling harder, via gravity, on Earth’s oceans. People who live near an ocean might notice particularly high tides in the day or so after this full moon.

September full moon lies in Pisces

The September Harvest full moon always lies in front of one of three constellations of the zodiac. Most years, it lies in Pisces the Fish, as it does this year. About every three years, though, it’ll lie in Aquarius the Water Bearer, as it did last year. Very infrequently – once about every 20 years – it’ll fall in the less-familiar constellation lying to their south, Cetus the Whale.

Bottom line: The Harvest Full Moon – and last of four full supermoons in 2023 – happens overnight on September 28-29, 2023, for us in the Americas. This full moon lies in front of the constellation Pisces. And it lies between two planets, very bright Jupiter and golden Saturn.

Want to see 2023’s brightest supermoon? Photos here

Read more: Does a supermoon have a super effect on us?

The post September full moon 2023 is a super Harvest Moon first appeared on EarthSky.

The first full moon of August was August 1. And there’s another full moon on August 30-31. It’ll be the closest full moon of 2023, and therefore a supermoon. As the second full moon of the month, it’ll carry the name Blue Moon. And it’ll be near Saturn!

See an amazing photo gallery of the year’s brightest supermoon from August 30, 2023.

The 2nd full supermoon on August 30-31

Where and when to look: Look for the bright, round moon in the east shortly after sunset on August 30, 2023. It’ll be highest in the sky around midnight. And it’ll be low in the west before sunrise on August 31.
The second August 2023 lunar perigee – the moon’s closest point to Earth for the second time this month – will fall at 16 UTC (11 a.m. CDT) on August 30.
The crest of this second August full moon will fall at 1:36 UTC on August 31 (8:36 p.m. CDT on August 30). For us in the Americas, the full moon will rise near the time it’s precisely full on August 30.
Note: The August 30-31 full moon will lie in the direction of the constellation Aquarius the Water Bearer.

A full supermoon and Blue Moon near Saturn

The August 30-31, 2023, Blue Moon will light up the sky. It’s the 3rd of 4 supermoons in a row. And it will be the closest (biggest) full supermoon in 2023! It may not look bigger to the eye, but it’ll sure look brighter.

How close is it? The moon will be 222,043 miles (357,344 km) away. Comparatively, the average distance between Earth and the moon is 240,000 miles (386,242 km).

And if a month has two full moons, the second one is called a Blue Moon.

Then, look for a bright point of light near the moon; that’s the beautiful planet Saturn.

You don’t need any optical aid to enjoy this lovely pairing of the full Blue Moon supermoon and Saturn. At their closest, the duo will be two degrees – the width of four full moons – apart.

Blue Moon meets Saturn

The August 30 Blue Moon will light the sky around it, blotting out all but the brightest stars. But look carefully in the bright moonlight. And you’ll see a starlike object. It’s not a star; it’s Saturn, the 6th planet from the sun.

And Saturn is at its brightest now. That’s because Saturn reached opposition, when we flew between Saturn and the sun, on August 27. So it’s in a wonderful place to see now, rising in the east in the evening and setting in the west at sunrise.

At opposition, the ringed planet shines at its brightest for 2023, at magnitude 0.4. It’s also when Saturn is at its least distance from Earth for 2023. It’s 73 light-minutes (about 8.8 astronomical units) away.

Saturn’s disk size is largest now, appearing 19 arcseconds across. And Saturn’s rings are tilted by 8.1 degrees, relative to earthly viewers. They span 44.2 arcseconds.

Thus, opposition marks the middle of the best time of year to see Saturn, or any outer planet. And any small backyard telescope will show the rings of Saturn.

Rise in the east, set in the west

For locations outside of the polar regions, all full moons rise in the east close to the time of sunset. And likewise, all full moons set in the west close to the time of sunrise. At full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon are aligned in space, with Earth in the middle.

So the full moon is opposite the sun, visible all night. And, the moon’s day side – its fully lighted hemisphere – directly faces us. That’s why the moon appears full.

Full moon names

All the full moons have names. Popular ones for the first full moon of August include Corn Moon and Sturgeon Moon. The name Sturgeon Moon recognizes the August peak of the sturgeon fish catch in the waters of North America’s Great Lakes. In addition, we’ve also heard the name Flying Up Moon for the August full moon.

Of course, in the lore of the sky, all of those names belonged to the first full moon on August. That’s why this second full moon goes by the name Blue Moon.

Read: Full moon names by month and by season

Bottom line: The August full moon occurs twice in 2023. Both are supermoons. The 1st full moon was August 1. The 2nd – also called a Blue Moon – is August 30-31.

Read more: Does a supermoon have a super effect on us?

The post August full moon: a Blue supermoon near Saturn first appeared on EarthSky.

When to watch in 2023: Overnight of July 2-3.
Where to look: Look for the bright round moon in the east today at evening, highest in the sky around midnight, and in the west before sunrise tomorrow morning.
Crest of the full moon falls at 11:39 UTC (6:39 a.m. CDT) on July 3. So, if you live in either North or South America, your fullest moon hangs somewhere above the western horizon just before sunrise tomorrow morning.

All full moons rise along the eastern horizon near sunset, and set along the western horizon near sunrise. They are visible all night. At full moon, the sun, Earth and moon are aligned in space, with Earth in the middle. The moon’s day side – its fully lighted hemisphere – directly faces us. That’s why the moon appears full. Note that the moon will look full and round the day before and the day after it reaches its fullest.

It’s the Buck Moon

All the full moons have names. Popular nicknames for the July full moon include the Feather Molting Moon and the Salmon Moon, but Buck Moon is the most common. At this time of year, the antlers of male deer grow rapidly, sometimes to impressive sizes. Hence, the name Buck Moon. Some Native Americans used the names Thunder Moon, Berry Moon and Raspberry Moon.

Read more: Full moon names by month and by season

Read more: Traditional full moon names and their meanings

It’s also a Supermoon

Also, this July’s full moon is a supermoon because it occurs near its closet orbital point to Earth. Does a supermoon appear larger than ordinary full moons?

While it’s true experienced observers do say they can detect a difference, you’d have to be a very keen observer to notice it. Truly, most of us can’t tell any difference in the size of a supermoon and an ordinary full moon.

But … do supermoons look brighter than ordinary full moons? Yes! By a noticeable amount. That’s because a supermoon exceeds the disk size of an average-sized moon by up to 8% and the brightness of an average-sized full moon by some 16%. And then, it exceeds the disk size of a micro-moon (a year’s most distant and therefore smallest full moon) up to 14% and the brightness of a micro-moon by some 30%. So, if you go outside on the night of July 2-3, there’s the potential you’ll notice the supermoon is exceptionally bright!

July full moon is in Sagittarius in 2023

The July full moon can lie in front of two constellations of the zodiac. The most often one is Sagittarius the Archer. The second is the constellation to Sagittarius’ east, Capricornus the Sea Goat. This full moon glows in front of the central part of the Teapot asterism. Because of the bright moonlight, the eight stars comprising the Teapot will be difficult to see with the unaided eye.

This July full moon mimics December sun

Because a full moon more or less stays opposite the sun, the full moon’s nighttime path mimics the sun’s daytime path from six months ago, or six months hence.

This full moon is the one closest to the June solstice – happening twelve days after it – so this full moon follows nearly the same path across the sky as the December solstice sun. The December solstice is the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice. So, the moon’s trek on the nights around this July’s full moon resembles the low path of the winter solstice sun.

North of the Arctic Circle, the wintertime sun never climbs above the horizon. Neither will this July’s full moon.

Meanwhile, in the Southern Hemisphere, the moon’s path across the sky will mirror that of the high summer solstice sun.

And, south of the Antarctic Circle, the moon will be out for 24 hours around the clock, simulating the midnight sun of summer.

Arc of the July full moon, Northern Hemisphere

The moon’s arc across our sky varies from month to month and from season to season. Every full moon rises somewhere along the eastern horizon, opposite the sun as it sets in the west. And every full moon arcs across the sky throughout the night and sets along the western horizon around dawn. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, in most years the arc of the June’s full moon is lower than the paths of the full moons since December. However, this year, the July 3rd full moon arcs slightly lower because it falls closer to the June solstice than the June 4th full moon.

Arc of the July full moon, Southern Hemisphere

For those in the Southern Hemisphere, the full moon’s arc across the sky is climbing higher with each successive month since December, reaching its highest at the full moon falling closest to the June solstice, which occurs sometime from mid-June through early July. In 2023, even though the June 4th full moon is close to the solstice, the July 3rd full moon is closer.

Bottom line: The July full moon – the Buck Moon – falls overnight tonight, reaching its fullest at 11:39 UTC (that’s 6:39 a.m. CDT) tomorrow night. It’s also a supermoon.

The post July full moon is the Buck Moon and a supermoon first appeared on EarthSky.

When to watch in 2023: Overnight of June 3.
Where to look: lLook for the bright round moon in the east in the evening, highest in the sky around midnight, and in the west before sunrise.
Crest of the full moon falls at 3:42 UTC on June 4, 2023. That’s 10:42 p.m. CDT on June 3 in central North America. So if you live in either North or South America, your fullest moon hangs in the southeast after sunset on June 3.

In fact, all full moons rise along the eastern horizon near sunset, and set along the western horizon near sunrise. And they are visible all night as they trek across the sky. At full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon are aligned in space with Earth in the middle. That’s because the moon’s day side – its fully lighted hemisphere – directly faces us. That’s why the moon appears full. Also note that the moon will look full and round for a day or two around full moon.

It’s the Strawberry Moon

All full moons have names. In Europe, popular names for the June full moon include the Honey Moon and the Mead Moon. Some Native Americans used the name Strawberry Moon for the June full moon, and that name is still the most common in North America. The name Strawberry Moon highlights the time of year when many species of berries ripen, particularly sweet strawberries.

Read: Full moon names by month and by season

June full moon is in Scorpius in 2023

The June 2023 full moon can lie in front of one of three constellations of the zodiac. First, it can lie in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion. The second is the lesser-known constellation Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer. And the third is Sagittarius the Archer.

As seen from the Americas, the full moon on the night of June 3, 2023 will be located in the direction of Scorpius. You’ll notice a bright star nearby. It’s Antares, known as the Scorpion’s Heart.

When it rises on June 4, the moon will still appear full. On that night, from the Americas, it’ll be near the foot of Sagittarius the Archer and eastward of the previous night’s location. And it’ll be near the noticeable asterism called the Teapot.

June full moon mimics December sun

Because a full moon stays more or less opposite the sun, the full moon’s nighttime path mimics the sun’s daytime path from six months ago, or six months hence.

This full moon occurs close to the June solstice, so the moon follows nearly the same path across the sky as the December solstice sun. The December solstice is the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice. So the moon’s trek on the nights around the June full moon will resemble the low path of the winter solstice sun.

North of the Arctic Circle, the wintertime sun never climbs above the horizon. So neither will this June full moon.

Meanwhile – in the Southern Hemisphere – the June full moon’s flight across the sky will mirror that of the high summer solstice sun.

And, south of the Antarctic Circle, the moon will be out for 24 hours around the clock, simulating the midnight sun of summer.

Arc of the June full moon

The moon’s arc across our sky varies from month to month and season to season. Every full moon rises along the eastern horizon, opposite the sun as it sets in the west. And every full moon arcs across the sky throughout the night, and sets along the western horizon around dawn. So for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere, the arc of June’s full moon is lower than the paths of the full moons since December. This year, the July 3rd full moon arcs slightly lower because it occurs closer to the solstice on June 21 than the June 4th full moon.

For those in the Southern Hemisphere, the full moon’s arc across the sky is climbing higher with each successive month since December, reaching its highest at the full moon falling closest to the June solstice, which occurs sometime from mid June through early July. That’s because in 2023, even though the June 3rd full moon is close to the solstice, the July 3rd full moon falls closer.

Bottom line: The June full moon – the Strawberry Moon – occurs on the overnight of June 3, 2023.

Farmers’ Almanac Full Moon Calendar

The post Full moon in June mimics path of December sun first appeared on EarthSky.

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When to watch in 2023: Before sunrise and after sunset on May 5.
Where to look: Look for the bright round moon low in the southwest before sunrise, and low in the southeast after sunset on May 5. It appears full during the nights of May 4 and May 5.
Crest of the full moon falls at 17:34 UTC on May 5, 2023. That’s 12:34 p.m. CDT on May 5 in central North America. So, if you live in central North America, your fullest moon falls mid-way between sunrise and sunset on May 5 when it is on the other side of Earth, and, therefore, can’t be seen. The rising moon in the southeast on that morning will resemble the setting moon in the southwest that evening.

A penumbral lunar eclipse in central Asia

This full moon coincides with a penumbral eclipse of the moon. The eclipse is not visible in the Americas, but it is visible in central Asia. Since the moon will not lie in the dark umbral shadow, but in the lightly shaded penumbral shadow instead, the eclipse event might not be easily noticeable. During the eclipse, the full moon lies in Libra the Scales next to the star Zubenelgenubi.

Moon looks full over 3 nights

At full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon align in space, with Earth in the middle. The moon’s day side – its fully lighted hemisphere – faces us. That’s why the moon looks full. Note that the moon will look round for a day or two around full moon. Because the May full moon occurs near mid-day on May 5, the moon will look full on the overnights of May 4, 5, and 6.

It’s the Flower Moon

All the full moons have nicknames. Popular names for May’s full moon include the Planting Moon and the Milk Moon, but the Flower Moon is the most common. As you might expect, the name Flower Moon recognizes the blooming of wildflowers and garden flowers, many giving an enchanting appearance in the light of May’s full moon.

Arc of the May full moon

The moon’s arc across our sky varies from month to month and from season to season. Every full moon rises along the eastern horizon, opposite the sun as it sets in the west. Every full moon arcs across the sky throughout the night and sets along the western horizon around dawn. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, the arc of May’s full moon is lower than the paths of the full moons since December, but higher than the next one in June.

For those in the Southern Hemisphere, the full moon’s arc across the sky is climbing higher with each successive month since December, and will continue to do so until the full moon nearest the June solstice.

The May full moon is in Libra

As seen from the Americas, the full moon on the morning and evening of May 5 is located in the direction of the constellation Libra the Scales. It glows near Libra’s “surprise” star all night. That surprise star is the moderately bright Zubenelgenubi. Zubenelgenubi is a surprise star because people with keen eyesight see it as two stars, and binocular users readily catch its double star nature. Also, on the evening of May 5, the full moon lies close to the red star Antares in Scorpius the Scorpion.

Bottom line: The May full moon occurs near mid-day today, May 5. The moon looks full on the overnights of May 4, 5, and 6.

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April full moon

When to watch in 2023: On the night of April 5 into the morning of April 6.
Where to look: Look for the bright round moon in the east in the evening, overhead around midnight, west before sunrise.
Crest of the full moon falls at 4:34 UTC on April 6, 2023. That’s 11:34 p.m. CDT on April 5 in central North America.
Note: The April 5-6 full moon is near the star Spica in the constellation Virgo the Maiden.

All full moons rise in the east near sunset and set in the west near sunrise. They are visible all night. At full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon align in space, with Earth in the middle. The moon’s day side – its fully lighted hemisphere – faces us. That’s why the moon looks full. Note that the moon will look full and round for a day or two around full moon. And note that the moon rises, on average, about 50 minutes later each day. That means, the night after full moon, you won’t see the moon rise until the sky is fully dark.

April’s full moon is the Pink Moon

This is such a beautiful time of year, especially when the full moon rises! April’s full moon has the nickname of the Pink Moon, because of all the blooming flowers and trees, such as the pink creeping phlox (Phlox subulata).

The moment of full moon – when the moon reaches that point in its orbit directly opposite the sun in sky – is April 6 at 4:34 UTC or 11:34 p.m. CDT on April 5. However, “full moon” is considered any time 12 hours before or after that.

Read: Full moon names by month and by season

The full moon of April is also called the Paschal Moon if it occurs before Easter, which happens this year. (If it occurs after Easter, as it will next year, it is only called the Pink Moon.) As a general rule, Easter is pinned on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs after the vernal equinox. This year the equinox fell on March 20, and the following full moon falls on April 6, which is a Thursday. Therefore, the next Sunday is three days later, making Easter April 9.

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Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere view

For Northern Hemisphere moon watchers, the rising Pink Moon glows brightly above Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden. In the hour just after midnight, the moon arcs above the southern horizon and lies to Spica’s upper right. When it sets on the morning of April 6, the full moon lies to Spica’s right.

For Southern Hemisphere viewers, the scene is nearly upside down. The full moon lies to the left of Spica as they both rise after sunset. In the hour just after midnight, it arcs above the northern horizon and lies to the lower left of Spica. When it sets on the morning of April 6, the full moon lies below Spica.

April full moon lies in Virgo

The April full moon can lie in front of one of two constellations of the zodiac. In most years, as it will this year, the full moon of April lands in Virgo the Maiden. But if the full moon occurs in the final few days of the month, it can fall in Libra the Scales. This doesn’t happen often and won’t happen again until 2037.

Spotting Spica

Because the full moon is very bright, you might not spot Spica at first. Try blocking the moon behind a foreground object such as a building or a utility pole. Spica is an important star for learning the night sky because it’s the southern member of the easily recognizable Spring Triangle. This asterism also includes Arcturus, north of Spica, and Regulus, northwest of Spica. Those three stars form an attractive triangle.

As the American night of April 5-6 advances, the Pink Moon moves noticeably closer to Spica. Since the full moon sits on the opposite side of the sky as the sun, when morning twilight begins in the east, the full moon nears the western horizon. It then lies noticeably further from Spica than it did when it rose nearly twelve hours earlier.

Bottom line: At full moon, the moon rises around sunset, climbs highest in the sky around midnight, and sets around sunrise. The April 2023 full moon on the overnight of April 5–6 is the Pink Moon. It lies near the star Spica in the constellation Virgo.

The post April full moon – the Pink Moon – falls on April 5-6 first appeared on EarthSky.

When and where to look in 2023: Look for the bright, round full moon ascending in the east shortly after sunset, as twilight darkens on February 5. It glows high in the south near midnight and drops low in the west shortly before sunrise on February 6.
Crest of the full moon falls at 18:28 UTC on February 5 (12:28 p.m. CST), which is about 5 hours before moonrise in central North America.
It’s the smallest full moon of 2023 That’s because this full moon is in a far part of its orbit. A careful comparison with photos of other full moons would show that this full moon appears smaller-than-average in our sky. Will it look smaller to you in the sky? Probably not. But its brightness will be diminished, in contrast to other full moons.
It’s also the Snow Moon: All full moons have popular nicknames. The bright, full moon in February is commonly called either the Snow Moon or the Hunger Moon.

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February’s full moon is the smallest of 2023

Some moons are supermoons. That is, they’re both full and in a close part of their orbits to Earth.

But the February 2023 full moon is a micromoon. It’s particularly far from Earth. The moon’s farthest point, or apogee, was reached at 9 UTC on February 4.

And the February 2023 micromoon is the second of two micromoons in 2023. The January 2023 full moon was a micromoon, too. But the February full moon is 2023’s farthest – and last – micromoon of this year. Its distance will be 252,171 miles (405,830 km). Compare that to the average distance between Earth and the moon, 237,700 miles (382,500 km).

A micromoon can appear up to 14% smaller than a supermoon, and its smaller size can be seen in comparison photos … but it’s tough to see with the eye. Still, this full moon is less bright than a supermoon, or a full moon at an average distance. But “less bright” doesn’t mean dim! This February 2023 full moon will appear to shine brightly, as all full moons do. And it might appear especially bright to you if you live in a place where it’s winter, where the leaves are off the deciduous trees now. Does snow cover the ground where you are? If so, the moon will look brighter still.

The composite image below shows the difference in size between a supermoon and a micromoon.

February full moon in Leo

The February full moon can lie in front of one of two constellations of the zodiac and one non-zodiac constellation. Most years – as this year – it falls in Leo the Lion. But it can also lie in Cancer the Crab, as it will in 2026. Infrequently, it is in Sextans the Sextant, an obscure constellation immediately south of Leo.

And even more infrequently, a full moon doesn’t occur at all in February. That happened last in 2018. It won’t happen again until 2037.

The moon is roundest on the day it reaches the crest of its full phase. But, on the days before and after, it also appears nearly full.

The star near this full moon is Regulus

On the night of February 5, 2023, the moon shines near the brightest star in Leo. This star is called Regulus, which means little king. Everyone on Earth will see Regulus in the moon’s vicinity on this night. To see a precise view from your location, try Stellarium.

Regulus might appear dim in the glare of the brightly lit moon. For an easier view, block the moon with your hand. Or place yourself so that a distant landscape object such as a tree branch or a utility pole blocks the moon. Then the star pops into better view!

February full moon and the August sun

Since the full moon is opposite the sun in the sky, the February full moon lies about where the sun lies six months from now. In fact, the blindingly bright sun moves immediately below Regulus – in an event called a conjunction – in the August 23 daytime sky.

Bottom line: The full Snow Moon happens overnight on February 5, 2023. It’s the smallest full moon of 2023 and lies near the bright star Regulus in Leo.

Read more: What is a supermoon? And when, in 2023?

The post February full moon – smallest of 2023 – on the 5th first appeared on EarthSky.

When and where to look in 2023: Look for the bright, round full moon to rise in the east near sunset on January 6, 2023. It’ll be glowing nearly overhead around midnight, and dropping low in the west near sunrise.
Crest of the full moon falls at 23:08 UTC on January 6. That’s 5:08 p.m. CST.
January’s full moon is the Wolf Moon: All full moons have popular nicknames. January’s full moon is often called the Wolf Moon because – in parts of the world where they live – wolves are active in January and often howl on cold nights. Other names derived from North American indigenous people play upon January’s cold. They include the Cold Moon, Frost Exploding Moon, Freeze Up Moon, and Hard Moon.
Note: At full moon, the sun, Earth, and the moon align in space, with Earth in the middle. As a result, the moon’s day side – its fully lighted hemisphere – directly faces us. That is why the moon appears full. Since – as seen from the Northern Hemisphere – the sun travels daily in a short, low arc across the early January sky, the full moon, opposite the sun in the sky, travels in a long, high arc across and passes nearly overhead around local midnight. Meanwhile, as seen from the Southern Hemisphere, the January sun is high, and the moon rides low.

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This January’s full moon is a micromoon

Some moons are supermoons. That is, they’re both full and in a close part of their orbits to Earth.

But the January 2023 full moon is a micromoon. It’s in a far part of its orbit. A careful comparison with photos of other full moons would show that this full moon appears smaller-than-average in our sky.

The January 2023 micromoon is the first of two micromoons in 2023. It’s not the farthest full moon of 2023. It’s only 2nd-farthest, at 252,145 miles (405,789 km). The February full moon will be 2023’s farthest – and last – micromoon of this year.

While a mircomoon can appear up to 14% smaller than a supermoon – thus appearing less bright than a supermoon – this January 2023 full moon still will shine very brightly. It’ll appear especially bright because the leaves are off the deciduous trees now. If snow covers the ground where you are, the moon will look brighter still.

So enjoy January’s full moon!

Early January full moon lies in Gemini

The January full moon can lie in front of one of two constellations of the zodiac. If the full moon falls in the first half of the month, as it does this year, it will land in Gemini the Twins. If it happens during the second half, as it did in 2022 and will again in 2024, it will fall in Cancer the Crab.

The moon is roundest on the day when it is full, but it appears almost, but not quite full the day before and after. On the evening of this January’s full moon, the twin stars of Gemini, Castor (the dimmer one) and Pollux (the brighter one) shine nearby. However, the bright moonlight may make these two famous stars dim or even invisible. If you can’t spot them, rest assured, they are still there!

January full moon and the June sun

Every full moon stays – more or less – opposite the sun. The moon’s path roughly follows the sun’s daytime path from six months ago, and six months from now. You can see this happening as you watch the early January full moon rise to almost the top of the sky, just as the sun does in the weeks before and after the June solstice.

For the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the same effect. But, since it is early summer there, the full moon in early January rides low as the early January sun rides high.

This January’s full moon nearly matches the high arc of last month’s full moon because the winter solstice – on December 21 – happened about midway between them.

Tracing the high path of the January full moon

You can experiment with the path of the sun and moon. Simply trace a line with your finger from east to west along a low arc above the southern horizon to emulate the sun’s early January path. Then trace another path high overhead to emulate the moon’s path in early January. You’ll see that the higher path will be much longer than the lower one.

Little by little, we can watch the two paths come back into balance. Each month, the full moon will cross the sky at a slightly lower arc than the previous month. Each successive full moon takes less time than the previous one to cross the sky. At March’s full moon, which is near the Northern Hemisphere’s spring equinox, the two paths – of the moon and of the sun – will nearly the same. Then, near the June solstice, those of us in the Northern Hemisphere see the sun cross high overhead during the year’s longest days. And, during the short northern summer nights, we see the moon cross lower and spend less time in the sky.

And on the cycle goes.

Bottom line: The 2023 January full moon falls on January 6 at 23:08 UTC (January 6, 5:08 p.m. CST). That’s just 16 nights after the December solstice. It closely follows the path of the sun in early July.

Farmers’ Almanac Full Moon Calendar

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