The first supermoon of the year 2020 is right around the corner and will be visible in North and South America during the daylight hours of Monday, March 9.
The March supermoon—also called the “Full Worm Moon”—will be the first out of three supermoons to appear in 2020, and will reach peak fullness Monday at 1:48 p.m. EDT, but will appear full from Sunday, March 8, right through to the evening of Tuesday, March 10.
There are other alternative nicknames for the March supermoon, but “Worm Moon” is being the most widely used.
The nicknames bestowed upon the full moons were originally designated by Native American tribes in the Northeast in order to help keep track of the seasons.
At that time, the moon can appear up to 14 percent larger and as much as 30 percent brighter than a regular full moon, although the difference is sometimes imperceptible to the naked eye.
The Full Moons of 2020
March 9: Worm moon (supermoon) April 7: Pink moon (supermoon) May 7: Flower moon June 5: Strawberry moon July 5: Buck moon August 3: Sturgeon moon September 2: Corn moon October 1: Harvest moon October 31: Blue moon November 30: Beaver moon December 29: Cold moon
The strawberry moon denoted the strawberry harvest of the same month; the buck and sturgeon moons marked the appearance of these animals in the wild, and therefore the perfect time to hunt and harvest them.
The corn and harvest moons were named to coincide with the peak of the harvest season, during which time farmers could work late into the night under the light of the Moon. Last but not least, the beaver moon and cold moo referred to the onset of deep winter and the perfect time to hunt beavers for their warm fur.
The best setting in which to view a full moon is under dark skies and away from city lights. Optimal viewing times for 2020’s full moons will naturally depend upon geographic location.
