Full Moon for February 2022

When to See the Full Moon in February 2022

February’s full Snow Moon reaches peak illumination at 11:59 A.M. EST on Wednesday, February 16. For the best view of this Moon, look for it that night or the night before; it will drift above the horizon in the east around sunset and reach its highest point in the sky around midnight. See when the Moon will be visible in your area.

Why Is It Called the Snow Moon?

The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not just to the full Moon itself.

The Snow Moon

The explanation behind February’s full Moon name is a fairly straightforward one: it’s known as the Snow Moon due to the typically heavy snowfall that occurs in February. On average, February is the United States’ snowiest month, according to data from the National Weather Service. In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver, who had visited with the Naudowessie (Dakota), wrote that the name used for this period was the Snow Moon, “because more snow commonly falls during this month than any other in the winter.” 

Alternative February Moon Names

Names for this month’s Moon have historically had a connection to animals. The Cree traditionally called this the Bald Eagle Moon or Eagle Moon. The Ojibwe Bear Moon and Tlingit Black Bear Moon refer to the time when bear cubs are born. The Dakota also call this the Raccoon Moon, certain Algonquin peoples named it the Groundhog Moon, and the Haida named it Goose Moon.

Another theme of this month’s Moon names is scarcity. The Cherokee names of Month of the Bony Moon and Hungry Moon give evidence to the fact that food was hard to come by at this time.

→ See a full calendar year of Moon names and meanings.

Moon Phases for February 2022

All dates and times listed below are Eastern Standard Time. See the Almanac’s Moon Phase Calendar for times in your city/state.

February Moon Phase Dates and Times

	New Moon: February 1, 12:49 A.M.
	First Quarter: February 8, 8:51 A.M.
	Full Moon: February 16, 11:59 A.M.
	Last Quarter: February 23, 5:34 P.M.

→ When is the next full Moon? See our Full Moon calendar.

February Snow Moon Video

Each month, we will explain the traditional names of the Full Moon along with some fascinating Moon facts. In this video, learn about the Snow Moon, “Moon weather,” and the horns of the new crescent Moon. Click below to watch the video.

Best Days in February 2022

Below are the Best Days for activities, based on the Moon’s sign and phase in February.

For Planting…

…Aboveground crops: 2, 3

…Belowground crops: 21, 22

For Setting Eggs

9, 10, 18–20

For Fishing

1–16

→ See all our Best Days for various activities.

Moon Facts and Folklore

• On February 6, 1971, Alan Shepard became the first man to hit a golf ball on the Moon.

• Did you know that the Moon’s diameter is 2,160 miles? This is less than the width of the United States (approximately 3,000 miles), and 0.27 of Earth’s diameter (7,926 miles).

• Wolves have howled at the Moon for centuries, yet it is still there.

• And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, they danced by the light of the Moon.
  —Edward Lear, English poet (1812-88)

Share your thoughts about the February Moon below!