Super Snow Moon: It is the historic name given to the second full moon of winter. (Representational)
A super snow moon, mid-winter moon or the hunger moon will cross the skies on Tuesday, February 19. The full moon tonight will be closer to earth, will be larger, brighter and will definitely command attention in the sky. When the moon is full and is at a point in its orbit when it is closest to the Earth, it is called Supermoon. This week's perigee will be about 583 kilometers closer to us than last month's supermoon. The subsequent full moon in March will also be a "supermoon". Two to four full moons can be classified as "supermoons" in a given year. Don't miss the "Super Snow Moon" today.
Why winter moon is called "Snow Moon" and "Hunger Moon"
According to NASA, the term "snow moon" is the historic name given to the second full moon of winter by certain Native American tribes in the US. It is called the snow moon due to snowfall during this time of year. Heavy snowfall is also the reason for its alternative name - "hunger moon", due to lack of food availability. Some of its other names are ice moon and storm moon.
Snow Moon Timings:
The moon will reach its full peak on February 19, 2019, at 10:54 am EST or around 9:30 pm IST. The snow moon be visible to most in the United States at that time.
Last month, Super Blood Wolf Moon was seen on January 20 and 21 when the moon took a reddish glow from refracted light. Sky-watchers across the entire Western Hemisphere, in Europe, Africa and America, were able to see Super Blood Wolf Moon.
Next super moon:
The next full moon will be on March 20, and while it is also going to be a "supermoon" it will not be as big as the super snow moon. The supermoon in March will be called Super Worm Moon.