Look to the sky this weekend for a chance to see February’s wintry full moon, which comes as four astronauts prepare to make a historic journey around the silvery orb.The full moon will peak at 5:09 p.m. ET Sunday, occurring near sunset and appearing fullest while low in the eastern sky, according to EarthSky.However, the moon will still appear full Saturday and Monday, said Noah Petro, chief of NASA’s Planetary, Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Laboratory at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.AdvertisementAdvertisementFebruary’s full moon is known as the snow moon, after the heavy snowfalls often experienced across parts of North America this time of year, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.Other monikers from indigenous tribes for this month’s full moon include the sleet moon from the Comanche people, the Creek tribe’s wind moon and the crow moon as named by the Shawnee.With the anticipated launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission, which could lift off in February, it’s a great time for sky-gazers to familiarize themselves with the moon, Petro said.“Go out and look at it when it’s full, when it’s partially full, and learn its geography,” said Petro, who leads the science team for the Artemis III mission, which aims to land humans near the lunar south pole. “Start learning what features are where and what it looks like as the moon goes through its phases to celebrate the fact that we are in this Artemis era and going back to the moon.”AdvertisementAdvertisementIt’s possible to see light and dark areas on the lunar surface with the naked eye, but Petro recommends using a telescope, which is helpful for spotting craters and other features.It’s a great way to “absorb the full breadth of what the moon has to offer to the casual observer,” Petro added.Supermoons and full moonsSky-gazers can anticipate seeing supermoons in the night sky in November and December. Supermoons occur when the moon is closest to Earth during its orbit, making it appear brighter …
