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Clear skies for viewing: Snow moon rises tonight

14:00
24 February 2024

Clear skies for viewing
Snow moon rises tonight

The snow moon over Watchet Marina, February 2023.The snow moon over Watchet Marina last year, February 2023. - © Jane Armstrong via Weather & Radar uploader

Keep an eye on the skies later tonight as the Snow Moon rises over the UK and Ireland.

February's full moon will rise tonight, with visibility looking decent with clear skies expected across much of the UK, though more cloud for parts of Ireland.

Like all full moons, its name originates with Native American tribes. February's moon often coincided with the heaviest snowfall of the year at the time, earning it the moniker of Snow Moon.

This year the moon peaks around 12:30 pm, offering a full evening of our lunar companion at the peak of its cycle overnight.

You can keep an eye on the exact times of the moon rise and set with the astro card available right on the home screen of the app.

Not so full

Today's Snow Moon is the second full moon of 2024, and the first micromoon of the year.

This shows the times of each cycle for the moon and sun for wherever you are in the world!

If you're hoping to catch a look at the Snow Moon, you're likely in luck with fairly decent viewing conditions for large parts of the UK and Ireland.

The clearest skies will be furthest east, with more in the way of cloud to the west - particularly across Ireland, with the thickest cloud to the south here. Otherwise, a chillier night than recent nights so wrap up warm and get checking!

What is a micromoon?

A micromoon occurs when a full moon takes place while the moon is at least 251,655 miles away from Earth. It is the opposite of a supermoon.

Tips: Astrophotography with your phoneread more
Weather & Radar editorial team
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