February’s 2026 Snow Moon Will Light Up the Night as Winter Rages On
To mark the start of February 2026, a full moon known as the “Snow Moon” will rise in the night sky early next week. While freezing temperatures and icy conditions have made this winter brutal for many people, the Snow Moon could brighten the mood when it appears on Sunday, February 1, 2026.
The bright Snow Moon will reach its peak at 5:09 a.m. EST, providing a magnificent view just at sunset as it gradually rises into the eastern sky. For those who can’t wait to see the full moon in all its glory, this might be one of the best opportunities to see one all year.
Why Snow Moon is a suitable name
The Snow Moon might have the most apt name of all the full moons in the calendar year. Simply put, its name refers to the fact that much of North America is hit with snow this time of year. February is often the snowiest month in the Northeast and Midwest United States.
Although Snow Moon is the most recognizable title for February’s full moon, it also has a few other animal-inspired nicknames rooted in Native American tradition. Other names include: Bald Eagle Moon (Cree), Bear Moon (Ojibwe), Raccoon Moon (Dakota), Groundhog Moon (some Algonquin tribes), and Goose Moon (Haida), according to Almanac.
Two more intriguing names for this full moon are Bone (or Boney) Moon and Hungry Moon, used by the Cherokee people; these names speak to the harsh reality that this time of winter would bring food shortages.
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Snow Moon’s Company
This year’s Snow Moon will rise high into the night sky on February 1, and as it does, it will be joined by a stellar company; Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo, will rise in the eastern sky shortly after the full moon. Following the Moon’s wake, Regulus will slide to the left of the Snow Moon around midnight, according to EarthSky.
Regulus won’t be the only object in the night sky accompanying the Snow Moon, which will also be visible as a full moon on the evenings before and after February 1. In the early hours of January 31, 2026, the moon will appear just above Jupiter and form a triangle with Castor and Pollux, the twin stars of the constellation Gemini, nearby. However, according to BBC Sky at Night Magazineyou’ll need to get up a few hours before sunrise if you want to see this happen in the morning sky.
High in the sky
Like other full moons in the winter months, the Snow Moon will be particularly bright and clear to see for several reasons. The first is that during the winter months, the northern hemisphere is tilted relative to the Sun, causing the full moon to appear higher in the sky than it would in summer – the highest point of a full moon in the sky is during the winter solstice (December 21 or 22), when the northern hemisphere is most tilted relative to the Sun, according to Sky Lights.
In the Northern Hemisphere, full moons generally appear brighter during the winter months due to all the snow covering the ground. The Moon doesn’t actually shine; Moonlight is just sunlight that reflects off the Moon and reaches the Earth. And by NASASince snow reflects most of the light that hits it, winter nights with a full moon can appear a little brighter when the snow is on the ground.
After the Snow Moon in February, the next full moon to look forward to is the Worm Moon on March 3, 2026; In an exciting twist, a total lunar eclipse will occur when the Worm Moon appears, causing it to briefly transform into a deep purple “blood moon.”
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