On February 12, the second full moon of 2025 will occur. Traditionally, it is called the Snowy Full Moon. This year, there is not much snow in Europe. However, the lunar disk will be there, and if you want to watch it, you will have the opportunity.
Snowy Full Moon
A full moon is the most visible astronomical phenomenon except for those that can be observed every day: sunrise and sunset. It is not surprising that it was from its observation that the calendar began to count time. Even the very concept of a month as a certain period comes from the changing phases of our satellite.
The year’s second full moon is often called the Snow Moon. This name is considered traditional for the United States, although it first appeared only in the 1930s on the pages of the Old Farmer’s Almanac. Its authors claim that all 12 or 13 full moons that can be observed during the year have a specific name.
This name allegedly comes from local peoples or emigrants from Europe. However, no one can say who exactly calls a full moon this way. So this may be just a fiction.
Most often, the indigenous peoples of North America call it Hungry. Usually, the name “Snowy” also sounds more or less convincing. However, in Europe and Ukraine in particular, the winter of 2024-25 is not marked by a lot of snow. And in general, the full moon cannot significantly affect the weather.
When you can see the full moon
As always, the February 2025 full moon will have not only a specific date but also a specific time. It will happen at 1:53 p.m. GMT (8:53 a.m. EST) on January 12. It will be in the constellation Leo, next to its brightest star, Regulus.
In Kyiv, it will be 1:53 p.m. GMT (8:53 a.m. EST). The Sun will still be high, and the Moon will be below the horizon. It will rise above it at 2:58 p.m. GMT (9:58 a.m. EST), almost simultaneously with the sunset. Thus, the people of Ukraine will be able to observe the Moon in almost full phase on the evening of February 12.
However, the people of London will be a little less lucky. The time here coincides with Universal Time, so the maximum phase will be during the day, and the Moon will appear in the sky only at 5:10 p.m. GMT (12:10 p.m. EST). In New York City, the Snowy Full Moon will occur at 8:53 a.m. EST (1:53 p.m. GMT). Therefore, it makes sense to observe the Moon on the night of 11-12, especially in the morning – before it disappears behind the horizon.
