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The Question
(Submitted March 14, 1997)
March's full moon is often the "Sugaring Moon" and the
"Harvest Moon" and the "Blue Moon" are also quite
well known, but what are the names of the full moons for each month?
A third grade in New York is interested in knowing since we've just done
Maple Sugaring.
The Answer
Your message was forwarded to the Ask an Astrophysicist service.
Our group of experts was able to dig up quite a few useful references
to web pages which can answer your question. Here are some of them.
From a now defunct site (http://www.peconic.net/independent/06199608.htm)
on Night Sky (June 19 - July 2, 1996)
The Full Moon of June generally goes by the epithet of the
"Rose Moon," or
the "Flower Moon," while people in certain areas blessed with
berries, as
ours is, prefer to call it the "Strawberry Moon." But even
in a month with
that many Moon monikers to go around, only the first Full Moon gets
granted
a formal name. Following the Rose/Flower/Strawberry Full Moon of Saturday,
June 1, the Sunday June 30 return, like all second comers, will be hailed
simply as the "Blue Moon".
The full moon on June 30, 1996 was (barely!) a so-called "Blue
Moon," because it
occurred as the second Full Moon within the month. In time zones East of
Brevard County, Florida, however, this was the first Full Moon of July. Hence,
it was called the "Thunder Moon" or "Hay Moon".
All full moons draw attention to themselves by the way they dominate the
sky from dusk to dawn, so that each one has acquired at least one special
name. Moon names far outnumber muffin varieties, including Green Corn,
Thunder, the Sturgeon Moon, and my personal favorite, the Moon of Pairing
Reindeer. Crescent, half, and gibbous moons, on the other hand, are merely
termed waxing or waning, not named for anything in particular. The full
moon of June generally goes by the pet name Rose Moon, while slightly less
discriminating observers dub it the Flower Moon, and romantics in certain
fruited areas prefer to gaze at the Strawberry Moon. But even in a month
with that many moon monikers, only the first full moon gets a formal name.
Following the Rose/Flower/Strawberry full moon of Saturday, June 1, the
Sunday, June 30, return, like all second comers, will be hailed simply as
the Blue Moon.
(Note, however, this meaning of "Blue Moon" is based on a mistake:
http://SkyandTelescope.com/observing/objects/moon/article_377_1.asp.)
From a now defunct site (http://www.noble.mass.edu/ref/fullmoon.htm)
Native American Names
January - Wolf Moon
February - Snow Moon, Hunger Moon, Opening Buds Moon
March - Maple Sugar Moon, Worm Moon
April - Frog Moon, Pink Moon, Planter's Moon
May - Flower Moon, Budding Moon
June - Strawberry Moon
July - Blood Moon, Buck Moon
August - Moon of the Green Corn, Sturgeon Moon
September - Harvest Moon
October - Hunter's Moon, Moon of Falling Leaves
November - Beaver Moon
December - Cold Moon
From
http://www.fabandpp.org/cotm/moons.htm
January - Old Moon, Wolf Moon
February - Snow Moon
March - Sap Moon, Worm Moon, Crow Moon, Crust Moon
April - Grass Moon, Pink Moon, Moon of the Red Grass Appearing
May - Milk Moon, Flower Moon
June - Rose Moon, Strawberry Moon
July - Thunder Moon, Buck Moon
August - Green Corn Moon, Corn Moon, Sturgeon Moon
September - Fruit Moon, Harvest Moon
October - Harvest Moon, Hunter's Moon
November - Frost Moon, Beaver Moon
December - Long Night Moon, Cold Moon
I hope this helps to answer your question!
Tim Kallman, Karen Smale, and Pat Tyler
for the Ask an Astrophysicist team
Questions on this topic are no longer responded to by the "Ask an Astrophysicist" service. See http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/ask_an_astronomer.html
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