By Sid Baglini
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2023 at 7:00 P.M.
The Full Snow Moon is a name that invites the most dedicated of Moonwalkers to bundle up and venture out to enjoy the silence of midwinter. If there is snow on the ground, the light of the Moon will be reflected off the snowpack making it extraordinarily bright for walking. If the night is clear, it will also be optimal for stargazing due to the absence of humidity in the cold weather. Dangerous walking conditions will result in cancellation of the walk so please check the Malvern Arts website for any last minute notification.
This was also called The Hunger Moon, The Out of Food Moon, and The Bone Moon referencing the dire lack of food at this time of year. The latter of the three starvation names specifically described the need to gnaw on bones or boil bones for the marrow. Various Native American tribes ascribed animal names including The Bald Eagle Moon, The Raccoon Moon, The Groundhog Moon and The Goose Moon presumably because of the presence of these animals when wildlife was scarce. The Bear Moon recognizes the cubs that are born in dens in midwinter.. The Storm Moon, directly related to The Snow Moon, acknowledges the frequency of winter storms. The Celts aptly called it The Ice Moon.
East Asian cultures tend to look at February’s Full Moon as a new beginning. The climax of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration is the traditional lighting of kongming lanterns which are released into the sky. It is also celebrated by lighting bonfires.
We usually enjoy the company of a few planets and this month we should be able to spot Mars and Jupiter during our walk with a possible glimpse of Venus as it slips below the horizon. It’s always possible to spot a meteor in the night sky but our walk does not coincide with any of the frequent meteor showers.
I hope you can join us Sunday, February 5th at 7:00 for some Moon-related camaraderie. We gather at the Malvern Arts parking lot on the south side of the Baptist Church, at the corner of 1st Avenue and Channing Avenue.