Named the worm moon by Native American tribes in the 18th century in reference to different creatures emerging from their winter hideouts to welcome spring, the March moon will reach peak illumination at 7:42 a.m. ET Tuesday, March 7
Southern Native American tribes named the worm moon after the earthworm casts that emerged as the ground thawed at winter's end, according to NASA.
Another account in the Old Farmer's Almanac says that the name refers to beetle larvae that would come out of winter hideouts as spring arrived.
Northern Native American tribes, however, lived among forests without native earthworms due to glaciers having wiped out the species, according to NASA. Some of these groups instead referred to the moon as the crow moon, as a nod to the birds whose cawing would signal the end of winter.
In the Hindu month Phalguna, the March full moon marks the beginning of the Holi Festival, a two-day celebration known as the "Festival of Love," "Festival of Colors" and "Festival of Spring," according to NASA.
Celtic people called the March full moon the "moon of winds." And, according to "A Dictionary of the Choctaw Language" (published in 1915), the Choctaw people called it the "big famine" – perhaps because it was the season when winter food stores would start to run low. It was named "worm moon" after "earthworm casts that appear as the ground thaws," NASA wrote in a post online.Southerners are more likely to use the term because of they have an abundance of earthworms, unlike the northern part of the U.S.
While "worm moon" is the moon's most popular nickname, there are several other names for the last full moon of winter, including: the sugar moon, crow moon, crust moon and the corn moon.
Names Given to the Moon by Different Native American Tribes: Rain (Diegueno). Bud Moon (Kiowa). Eagle Moon,Rain Moon (Cree). Green Moon (Pima). Deer Moon (Natchez). Moon of Winds (Celtic). Lizard Moon (San Juan). Death Moon (Neo-Pagan). Wind Strong Moon (Taos). Amaolikkervik Moon(Inuit). Little Frog Moon (Omaha). Little Spring Moon (Creek). Crane Moon (Potawatomi). Long Days moon (Wishram). Big Famine Moon (Choctaw). Moose Hunter Moon (Abenali). Whispering Wind Moon (Hopi). Little Spring Moon (Muscokee). Fish Moon (Colonial American). Snow Sore Eyes Moon(Dakota). Catching Fish Moon (Agonquin). Snow Crust Moon (Anishnaabe). Spring Moon (Passamaquoddy). Much Lateness Moon (Mohawk). Chaste Moon (Medieval English). Buffalo Calf moon (Arapaho, Sioux). Seed (Dark Janic), Plow Moon (Full Janic). Strawberry, Windy Moon, Lenten Moon (Cherokee). Worm Moon, Sugar Moon, Crow Moon, Crust Moon, Sap Moon. (Algonquin).
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Southern Native American tribes named the worm moon after the earthworm casts that emerged as the ground thawed at winter's end, according to NASA.
Another account in the Old Farmer's Almanac says that the name refers to beetle larvae that would come out of winter hideouts as spring arrived.
Northern Native American tribes, however, lived among forests without native earthworms due to glaciers having wiped out the species, according to NASA. Some of these groups instead referred to the moon as the crow moon, as a nod to the birds whose cawing would signal the end of winter.
In the Hindu month Phalguna, the March full moon marks the beginning of the Holi Festival, a two-day celebration known as the "Festival of Love," "Festival of Colors" and "Festival of Spring," according to NASA.
Celtic people called the March full moon the "moon of winds." And, according to "A Dictionary of the Choctaw Language" (published in 1915), the Choctaw people called it the "big famine" – perhaps because it was the season when winter food stores would start to run low. It was named "worm moon" after "earthworm casts that appear as the ground thaws," NASA wrote in a post online.Southerners are more likely to use the term because of they have an abundance of earthworms, unlike the northern part of the U.S.
Names Given to the Moon by Different Native American Tribes: Rain (Diegueno). Bud Moon (Kiowa). Eagle Moon,Rain Moon (Cree). Green Moon (Pima). Deer Moon (Natchez). Moon of Winds (Celtic). Lizard Moon (San Juan). Death Moon (Neo-Pagan). Wind Strong Moon (Taos). Amaolikkervik Moon(Inuit). Little Frog Moon (Omaha). Little Spring Moon (Creek). Crane Moon (Potawatomi). Long Days moon (Wishram). Big Famine Moon (Choctaw). Moose Hunter Moon (Abenali). Whispering Wind Moon (Hopi). Little Spring Moon (Muscokee). Fish Moon (Colonial American). Snow Sore Eyes Moon(Dakota). Catching Fish Moon (Agonquin). Snow Crust Moon (Anishnaabe). Spring Moon (Passamaquoddy). Much Lateness Moon (Mohawk). Chaste Moon (Medieval English). Buffalo Calf moon (Arapaho, Sioux). Seed (Dark Janic), Plow Moon (Full Janic). Strawberry, Windy Moon, Lenten Moon (Cherokee). Worm Moon, Sugar Moon, Crow Moon, Crust Moon, Sap Moon. (Algonquin).
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Full "Worm" Moon rising over the Coast Range east of Half Moon Bay. 3/6/2023Just enough of a break in the clouds to capture the Full "Worm" Moon rising over the Coast Range east of Half Moon Bay. 3/6/2023 pic.twitter.com/HbyEH3noyH
— Jan Null (@ggweather) March 7, 2023
March moon riding to full over Armory Hill Springfield Massachusetts USA#WORMMOON Last moon of winter, a March moon riding to full over Armory Hill Springfield Massachusetts USA … a few stills pic.twitter.com/OLrvB71CS6
— scott m connolly (@duoscottmcon) March 6, 2023
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