When is March’s full moon? Look to the skies Monday and Tuesday for the worm moon

The final full moon of winter will soon be coming to a sky near you. March’s full moon is also known as the worm moon.

To the naked eye, and weather permitting, the moon will likely appear full on the nights of both Monday, March 6, and Tuesday, March 7. (The full moon actually reaches its peak illumination at precisely 7:40 a.m. ET on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.)

For millennia, people across the world, including Native Americans, named the months after nature’s cues. According to the Old Farmers’ Almanac, full moon names in our part of the world date back to the Native Americans who lived in the northern and eastern USA. Each full moon has its own name.

2023 FULL MOONS:What are the full moon dates for 2023?

“The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon,” the almanac said. “Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred.”

Why is it called the worm moon?

Why is this month’s moon called the worm moon?

“At this time of the year, the ground begins to soften enough for earthworms to reappear, inviting robins and other birds to feed – a true sign of spring,” according to the almanac. “Roots start to push their way up through the soil, and the Earth experiences a re-birth as it awakens from its winter slumber.”

The Old Farmers’ Almanac said that another explanation for the worm moon name refers to a different sort of “worm” – beetle larvae – which begin to emerge from the thawing bark of trees and other winter hideouts at this time of the year.

The March full moon is also known as the sap moon, because this is the time of year when the sap of sugar maples starts to flow.