When is the next full moon? Here's how to see Saturday morning's 'snow' micromoon

Aaron A. Bedoya, El Paso Times
Updated ·1 min read

You'll need to rise and shine early to catch February's full moon.

Saturday's full "snow" moon will be the smallest of the year. February's full moon is considered a "micromoon," indicating it's at its farthest point from Earth, approximately 252,225 miles away.

Full moons take place approximately every 29 1/2 days when the moon is directly opposite the sun, according to National Geographic.

What time is the full moon?

Peak illumination will be Saturday at 5:30 a.m. MST.

The moon on Friday and Saturday nights will look pretty close to being full.

A woman walks on the roof of the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology in Lisbon, as a full supermoon rises in the background, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
A woman walks on the roof of the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology in Lisbon, as a full supermoon rises in the background, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.

What is a micro moon?

A "micromoon" refers to when a full moon aligns with its farthest distance from Earth in its elliptical orbit, according to Time and Date. This happens when a full moon coincides with apogee, the farthest point in the moon's orbit from Earth.

February's full moon, known as the Snow Moon, disappeared behind beautiful Mount Fairweather in Alaska in a stunning moonset.
February's full moon, known as the Snow Moon, disappeared behind beautiful Mount Fairweather in Alaska in a stunning moonset.

Snow moon meaning

The February moon is named after the weather, as the month is a typical time to see heavy snowfall.

On average, February is typically the USA's snowiest month, according to past climate data from the National Weather Service.

How long does a full moon last?

The full moon technically lasts only a moment during syzygy when the moon, Earth, and sun align. However, from an observational standpoint, the moon appears full for several days around this time due to its orbital speed and angle relative to Earth's orbit.

Typically, the full moon phase lasts two to three days, according to Astronomy.com.

USA Today and the Arizona Republic contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Next full moon 2024: How to get best view of snow moon on Saturday