The Full Moons of 2024 will be an awe-inspiring sight to see. As the lunar cycles progress, we can expect to witness a series of stunning full moons throughout the year, each with unique qualities and characteristics. From the Pink Moon in April to the Cold Moon in December, the full moon of 2024 will offer plenty of opportunities to marvel at the beauty and majesty of our celestial neighbor.
For thousands of years, humans have tracked the moon’s cycles to mark the passage of time and plan activities like hunting, planting, and harvesting. Various ancient cultures worldwide have assigned names to full moons based on the month’s characteristic plant, animal, or weather behavior.
January: Wolf Moon
Native Americans and medieval Europeans christened January’s full moon, the wolf moon, inspired by the mournful howls of wolves facing food scarcity in midwinter. Alternative names for this moon include the Old Moon and Ice Moon.
February: Snow Moon
The typically chilly, snow-laden February weather in North America has given its full moon the snow moon. It’s also often referred to as the storm moon or hunger moon.
March: Worm Moon
The final full moon of winter is known among Native Americans as the worm moon, named after the worm trails visible in the newly thawed ground. Other names for this moon include the chaste moon, death moon, crust moon (referring to the crusty snow that melts during the day and freezes at night), and the sap moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees.
April: Pink Moon
The full moon in April is called the pink moon by Northern Native Americans, named after an early-blooming wildflower species. In other cultures, it’s known as the sprouting grass moon, egg moon, or fish moon.
May: Flower Moon
The profusion of flowers in May lends its full moon the name of the flower moon in many cultures. Other names include the hare moon, corn planting moon, and milk moon.
June: Strawberry Moon
The June full moon is named the strawberry moon in North America, marking the time for strawberry harvesting. It’s known as the rose moon in Europe, while other cultures call it the hot moon, signaling the start of summer heat.
July: Buck Moon
July’s full moon is called the buck moon by Native Americans, marking the time when male deer begin to regrow their annually shed antlers. Other names include the thunder moon, referencing the frequent summer storms, and the hay moon, named after the July hay harvest.
August: Sturgeon Moon
Fishing tribes in North America named August’s full moon the sturgeon moon due to the abundance of this fish species during this month. Other names include the green corn moon, grain moon, and red moon, which reflect the moon’s often reddish appearance in the summer haze.
September: Harvest Moon
The harvest moon in September is perhaps the most recognized named moon, signifying the time after the autumn equinox when crops are harvested. The term also refers to the moon’s exceptionally bright appearance and early rise, allowing farmers to work late into the night. Other names include the corn moon and barley moon.
October: Hunter’s Moon
The first moon after the harvest moon is the hunter’s moon, named for the ideal time to hunt deer and fox, fattened over the summer and now exposed in the bare fields. Like the harvest moon, the hunter’s moon is notably bright and stays in the sky longer, providing ample light for nighttime hunting. Other names include the Travel Moon and the Dying Grass Moon.
November: Beaver Moon
The origin of November’s beaver moon name is debated. Some suggest it’s derived from Native Americans setting beaver traps this month, while others believe it’s named after the beavers’ busy dam-building period in preparation for winter. Another name for this moon is the frost moon.
December: Cold Moon
The onset of winter earns December’s full moon the title of cold moon. Other names include the Long Night Moon and the Oak Moon.
The Blue Moon
Each year, the moon completes its final cycle approximately 11 days before Earth’s revolution around the sun. Over time, these extra days accumulate, resulting in an additional full moon called a blue moon every two and a half years or so. The origin of this term remains uncertain, and its exact definition has evolved. Today, it commonly refers to the second full moon in a calendar month, but it was initially used to denote the third full moon in a season with four full moons.
