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March’s full moon, according to some reports a supermoon, will dazzle sky watchers this Sunday (March 28), as the warm spring weather invites more people to venture outside to look up.
The full moon lasts only an instant, but dedicated Moon Observers can see it at 2:48 p.m. EDT (18:48 UTC) on Sunday, when the moon appears opposite the sun at Earth’s longitude. according to a NASA statement. People who miss this fleeting moment will still be able to see a large, round moon – the rocky satellite will appear full for three days, from Saturday morning (March 27) to early Tuesday (March 30).
And while it may be difficult to tell, the March moon is, according to some accounts, a supermoon, depending on how you interpret the term “supermoon.” This word was coined in 1979 by astrologer Richard Nolle, who said it refers to a new or full moon that falls within 90% of perigee, when the moon is closest to land. Different publications and experts, such as TimeandDate.com and astronomer Fred Espenak, have different thresholds for determining when the moon is close enough to qualify as a supermoon. This year, some say that 2021 will have four full supermoons (March to June), while others say there will be three supermoons (April to June), and some argue that there will only be two full supermoons (in April and June). May), NASA reported.
So which moon will be the “superstar”? “The full moons in April and May are almost even as the closest full moons of the year,” NASA said in the statement. “The full moon on May 26, 2021 will be slightly closer to Earth than the full moon on April 26, 2021, but only by a slim 0.04%.”
Related: In photos: dazzling images of a supermoon
This weekend’s full moon goes by many names, but it’s often called the Worm Moon, according to the Maine Farmer’s Almanac report in the 1930s on what Native Americans called a full moon. According to this tradition, the indigenous tribes of the southern United States called it “Worm Moon” in honor of the earthworms that appear at this time of year. These invertebrates were wiped out in the region by glaciers at the end of the last ice age around 12,000 years ago, but were reintroduced with the arrival of settlers from the Old World who brought invasive species from Europe and Asia, according to NASA. Once the snow cover melts in the spring, these invasive earthworms often move on.
Other names for the March moon include Crow, Crust, Sap, and Sugar Moon. According to the Maine Farmer’s Almanac, tribes in the northwestern United States called it the Crow Moon, due to the cawing of crows that marked the end of winter, while other groups called it the Crust Moon, after the crust of snow that freezes in night, or the Sap or Sugar Moon, because early spring is the time of year to touch the maples.
Meanwhile, in the Hebrew calendar, this full moon falls in the middle of the month of Nisan, which is tied to the observance of Easter (or Pesach), a holiday commemorating the biblical event of the Jewish people who left slavery behind in Egypt. This year, Easter begins at sunset on March 27 and lasts until sunset on April 4.
According to the Western Christian ecclesiastical calendar, this moon is known as the Paschal Moon, which is key in determining the date of Easter. The word “Paschal” is the Latinized word for Pesach. Easter is usually celebrated on the first Sunday after the first spring full moon. However, due to differences in the calendars of the Eastern and Western churches, this year Easter will fall on two dates: April 4 for Western Christianity, which considers the March moon as the first full moon of spring, and on May 2 for the Eastern Orthodox Church, which sees the next full moon as the Easter Moon, NASA reported.
For Hindus, this full moon corresponds to the festival of colors, known as Holi, which celebrates the triumph of good over evil, as well as the beginning of spring. This year, Holi falls on March 29. In Sri Lanka, this full moon is called Medin or Madin Poya, and it marks the Buddha’s first encounter with his father after his enlightenment, NASA reported. For followers of Islam, this full moon falls in the middle of the month Sha’ban, the month before Ramadan.
Sky watchers will also be able to see other celestial events, unless the cloudy sky prevents them. On Sunday, the day of the full moon, Mars will be the only planet visible after nightfall. Look at it on the western horizon, NASA recommended.
To watch a live stream of Worm Moon, tune in to Virtual telescope project, which will show the full moon rising over Rome.
Originally posted on Live Science.
