Phases and Full Moon Names

The moon has been a subject of human fascination for millennia. As a central topic of religious symbolism, philosophical and scientific inquiry, and a foundational pillar for our concept of time, it is hard not to notice her demurely brightening our night sky. New-age spiritualists even believe the moon cycles expel potent energy capable of impacting the collective human consciousness. Regardless of whether you ascribe to those beliefs, it is a decent flex to point at the moon and unpack some of the language around our planet’s lovely companion. In this article we are going to do just that.  

Basics  

First: The moon is neither a planet nor a star; it is a “natural satellite” that orbits earth. Most major planets in our solar system, excluding Mercury and Venus, have their own moons. Some, like Saturn and Jupiter, have dozens of moons. 

Second: The moon does not produce its own light; it is a natural reflector of the sun. When our moon is shining at night, it is being illuminated by sunrays. 

Third: As the moon moves around the earth, portions of it are cast in its own shadow due to its relative position to the sun. This change in relative position to the sun causes what is empirically referred to as the waxing and waning phases. 

Phases 

Our moon follows a perpetual pattern named the lunar cycle. This cycle begins with the New Moon when the moon is visible in the sky during the day. Following the New phase, the moon begins waxing, growing in light until it becomes a Full Moon. After the Full phase, occurring roughly every 29.5 days, the moon begins waning, decreasing in light until it becomes a New Moon again.  

You might encounter the terms “crescent” and “gibbous,” as well, when discussing the lunar cycle. These refer to shapes cast by the interplay of light and shadow on the moon’s observable surface. Both crescent and gibbous shapes occur during the waxing and waning stages. 

You can determine the moon’s current phase using a simple trick called DOC. During the First (waxing) Quarter it is shaped like a D, when it is Full it's an O, and when it's in the Third (waning) Quarter it appears as a C.  

Solar Eclipses

With the understanding that our moon crosses paths with the sun and Earth almost once every month, it would logically follow that total solar eclipses should be more common. This is not the case because our planetary orbits are more elliptical than round, and the orbital axes of all three planets are canted at different angles. This means that it takes exceptionally precise timing for the sun, moon, and earth to align enough and cause a total solar eclipse. A similar pattern applies to a total lunar eclipse, although they are a bit more common. 

Full Moon Names 

With the foundational groundwork laid, we can now explore the fascinating etymology and science of several well-known full moons. While these names are predominantly English interpretations of Native American origin, some are also Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, medieval English, and Neo-Pagan. Historically, many of these full moon names are the remnants of bygone calendar systems.  

Blood Moon: Named for its uncommon red color, this full moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse. As the earth comes between the sun and moon, the only light that can reach the moon peaks around the curve of Earth. However, our atmosphere scatters most of the sunrays' blue wavelengths, casting red wavelengths and bathing the moon in a beautiful reddish-brown glow. Understandably, this lunar shift evoked fear in ancient cultures. Christopher Columbus notably weaponized the Blood Moon during his voyage to leverage supplies and rations from the Arawak people in what is now known as Jamaica. Someone ought to go back in time and tell that jerk to knock it off.  

Supermoon: Because its orbit is not perfectly round, the moon has periods of time when it is closest to or farthest away from earth. These phenomena are referred to as perigee and apogee, respectively. A Supermoon occurs when the moon is full and at the perigee. Scientists will also refer to it as the Perigean Full Moon, although Supermoon sounds much cooler. Some lunar perigees can be closer than others because the moon’s orbit is always shifting. In these instances, high and low tides tend to be more extreme and are known to cause problems in coastal areas.

Harvest Moon: This full moon’s name predates contemporary industrial practices as the full moon occurring closest to the autumnal equinox. Historically, the Harvest Moon was an indication to commence harvest under the especially luminous night sky as daylight hours dwindled.  

Blue Moon: Unlike a Blood Moon, the Blue Moon’s name has nothing to do with its color. Rather, it refers to when two full moons occur within a single calendar month. Since Blue Moons typically happen once every 2 1/2 years, the phrase "once in a blue moon" is used to describe "a rare occurrence." 

Black Moon: This full moon closely resembles a Blue Moon in that it is also the second New Moon in a calendar month. What distinguishes a Black Moon from a Blue Moon is that it cannot be seen in the sky.  

Other Lesser-Known Full Moon Names 

Wolf Moon: This name refers to the first full moon in January. Its Native American origins refer to the sound of wolves howling with hunger outside of villages during cold winter nights.  

Crow Moon: This full moon name is also of Native American origin, dubbed for its occurrence during the spring thaw when crows announced their return with raucous cawing. This is also known as the Worm Moon, after the worms emerged from warming soil only to be eaten by the returning crows.  

Beaver Moon: Occurring between late fall and early winter, this full moon historically denoted the upcoming hibernation period for North American beavers. To fur hunters, it signaled the optimal time to trap beavers and collect their dense, winter-ready pelts.  

Other less prolific full moons include the Snow Moon, Pink Moon, Rose Moon, Flower Moon, Strawberry Moon, and Buck Moon, to name a few. Like the previous three, these moons distinguished changing seasons and signaled upcoming events of significance in agrarian society.  

What is your favorite full moon name? Have you ever stayed awake to observe a rare full moon? We are interested in reading all about your full moon experiences in the Comments section, below.