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The moon rises over Baltimore tonight at 5:19 p.m., and is officially full at 3:36 a.m. Friday. The second full moon since the winter solstice is the Wolf Moon or Hunger Moon, so-named for reasons chillingly obvious to our ancestors. If the clouds part, look for a bright star to the left of the moon, high in the southeast after 9 p.m. It’s Regulus, at the front foot of the lion in Leo, killed and placed in the sky by Hercules. Regulus is 85 light years away.
Comments
Always enjoy the moon and astromical lore. Long before high tech and still great...
Posted by: ruth | February 17, 2011 7:19 AM
I have a question. In the pre-dawn hours (when I am walking my dog), I notice a very bright "star" in the southeast sky. Can you tell me what that is?
Thanks,
Judy M. from Catonsville
FR: Sure. That's the planet Venus. Enjoy it now, because it will slip a little lower each morning into the glare of dawn, and we won't see it again until fall, when it becomes the "evening star," in the west after sunset.
Posted by: Judy M. from Catonsville | February 17, 2011 9:34 AM
Never heard of Regulus being the front foot of Leo...heart of the lion is better. Wikipedia has the full etymology.
FR: I agree. Depends on which image you look at, I guess. Some have the lion facing the other way, with the curl of stars representing the tail, rather than the head.
Posted by: D. Jack MacConnell | February 17, 2011 12:55 PM
The Farmer's Almanac says it is the "snow moon". "http://www.farmersalmanac.com/full-moon-names/"
FR: That's another name for this full moon. There are probably more. It's a pretty loose system, drawing from many cultures.
Posted by: Liam Jones | February 17, 2011 1:36 PM
Hunger moon, eh? Come to think of it, I am feeling a bit peckish....
Posted by: Todd | February 17, 2011 4:48 PM
The moon appears to be a full moon tonight which isn't what my issue is I would like to know what that giant ring surrounding it is. Its a huge very visual circle. Surrounding the moon tonight
FR: The halo is caused by ice crystals. Lots of moisture moving in with the warmer ice mass.
Posted by: carles clayton | February 18, 2011 1:46 AM