The second full moon of winter has arrived. The full wolf moon crested Thursday at 12:54 p.m. Unfortunately, cloudy weather is expected in the D.C. region Thursday night, but Friday may see clearing.
The moon will still be very close to full phase Friday night, so it will be worth taking a look in the east after it gets dark. Notice how the days are getting longer — there is now sunset well after 5 p.m. The moon will rise about an hour after sunset Friday and be easy and beautiful to see along the horizon and during the night.
The moon will be high and bright in the sky among the stars of winter, and if there’s any snow left on the ground it will be a pretty sight in the moonlight.
Each month’s full Moon is given a name that corresponds to the characteristics of the month. If there are wolves in your area, listen up for howls in the moonlight.
If the sky is clear, take in the view and look for the “Winter Circle.” With the bright moon, only the brightest stars will be visible but that can help identify them easier. When the moon rises in a couple of days, take a look again at the Winter Circle to see all the beautiful sky sights it contains.
Oh, and there are 74 days from the very deep, partial solar eclipse that will be visible over the entire D.C. area. Have you got your solar eclipse glasses? You will need them to safely see the partial solar eclipse, so get them now.
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