The Worm Moon Is Coming – And Here’s What That Means

WHEN WILL WE SEE THE FULL WORM MOON?

The Full Worm Moon is coming and if you want to see it, you'll want to be looking to the skies on Friday, March 18th, when it will reach its brightest at 2:20 AM. Since it's a Friday morning, maybe I'll invite my Great Nephews over for the night so we can look up at the night sky and see the Worm Moon at its brightest.

GET A TELESCOPE WITH YOUR LIBRARY CARD

This might be a good reason for you to get a library card. The Great River Regional Library added 20 brand new telescopes a couple of years ago, that you can sign out, just like a book, for free to enjoy viewing the night sky yourself or with family and friends. Just click HERE to visit the library and reserve a telescope for this fun event happening on March 18th.

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WHY IS IT CALLED A 'WORM MOON?'

If you are expecting to see some kind of strange wormy formation in the moon, or the sky surrounding it on March 18th, you may be disappointed. The name Worm Moon doesn't have anything to do with a 'worm-like' appearance in the sky.

THE MANY NAMES FOR THE WORM MOON IN MARCH

According to The Old Farmers Almanac, the full moon in the month of March is called a 'Worm Moon' because back in the day, it reflected the year's first appearance of earthworms, meaning that spring was truly on its way.

Other theories are that the name refers to worm larvae that emerged from the bark as it started to thaw at the beginning of spring.

The March moon has lots of other nicknames too. including:

• Crow Comes Back Moon
• Eagle Moon
• Goose Moon
• Snow Crust Moon
• Sore Eye Moon
• Sugar Moon
• Wind Strong Moon

TAKE A BREAK AND ENJOY THE VIEW

Regardless of where it gets its name, it's definitely a fun way to get us to take a break from our busy lives to pause and enjoy the beauty around us. If you want to get your kids interested in Astronomy there is a Moonrise calculator available at alamanac.com, that will calculate when the moon will rise and set in your area, and the best time for full illumination. What it can't tell you? If you'll be able to see it. If it's cloudy, you just might be out of luck. Sorry.