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23 February 2024
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – Kansans will be treated to a special full moon event this Friday evening.
KSNT News spoke with NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Brenda Culbertson about the upcoming ‘Snow Moon’ set to appear on the night of Feb. 23 and leading into Feb. 24. This event is more commonly recognized as a ‘micro Moon’ which is the opposite of a ‘Super Moon.’
“A micro Moon occurs when the Full Moon occurs during apogee, the farthest point in Moon’s orbit around Earth,” Culbertson said.
This means that the Moon will appear smaller than usual. The photo below from NASA shows the size difference between a Super Moon and a Micro Moon event:
(Photo Courtesy/NASA)
The names given to the Moon vary depending on what time of year it is. Aside from being called a Snow Moon, it is also known as a Storm, Hunger, Wolf or Candles Moon, according to NASA’s website.
The history of these names are connected to the Maine Farmer’s Almanac which started to give names for full Moons in the 1930’s. The names generated by the almanac’s creators have their roots in European traditions or were said to take inspiration from Native Americans.