A day after a wild winter storm brought rare hail and thundersnow to Southern California Tuesday evening, Mother Nature will put on another — albeit much calmer — show with the rise of the second full moon of the year.
Though the moon technically peaked just before 9 a.m. PST Wednesday, it will still appear full and brighten up the night sky through Thursday, NASA says.
The moon will rise in the Southland around 5:42 p.m., just a short time after sunset, according to timeanddate.com.
Provided skies are clear, stargazers should also be able to get a glimpse of Regulus, the bright star appearing next to the glowing moon, Space.com reports. The star is part of the constellation Leo.
February’s full moon is called the Snow Moon because of the typically heavy snowfall this time of year — at least elsewhere in the U.S.
NASA reported that, according to the Maine Farmers’ Almanac, the name came from Native American tribes in the northeast.
“The Maine Farmers’ Almanac began publishing Native American names for full Moons in the 1930s. Over time, these names have become widely known and used,” the space agency explained on its website.
January’s moon, for instance, is widely known as the Wolf Moon. In March, it’s the Worm Moon.
The next full moon is slated to rise on March 18 at t 12:18 a.m. PDT, coinciding with the first full week of daylight saving time. Most of the U.S. will “spring forward” on March 13 at 2 a.m.