Wolf, Harvest, Blood: The Names of the Full Moons

You have probably heard a full moon called a Wolf Moon or a Harvest Moon. These are old nicknames, mostly from farming and Native American traditions, that give each month's full moon a name. None of them change what the moon actually looks like. They are just labels for timing.

The month-by-month names

• January: Wolf Moon. Named for wolves heard howling in deep winter.
• February: Snow Moon. The month with the heaviest snow.
• March: Worm Moon. When the ground thaws and worms return.
• April: Pink Moon. Named for an early spring wildflower, not a pink color.
• May: Flower Moon. Spring blooms are everywhere.
• June: Strawberry Moon. Berry picking season.
• July: Buck Moon. When male deer grow new antlers.
• August: Sturgeon Moon. A fish that was easy to catch this month.
• September: Harvest Moon. The full moon nearest the fall equinox.
• October: Hunter's Moon. Time to hunt and stock up for winter.
• November: Beaver Moon. When beavers finish their dams.
• December: Cold Moon. The long, cold nights of early winter.

What about a Blood Moon?

A Blood Moon is different. That name describes how the moon turns a deep red during a total lunar eclipse, when Earth's shadow falls across it. It can happen in any month and is about the eclipse, not the calendar.

Why the Harvest Moon is special

The Harvest Moon rises close to sunset for several nights in a row, giving farmers extra light to work by. That is the one practical effect behind the name.

Curious what tonight's moon is doing? Check it on moontrack, or read what a full moon actually is.