Sign up for CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter and explore the universe with intriguing discoveries and scientific advancements. Look up this week to witness February’s full snow moon while catching the last sight of a visible parade of planets in the night sky. This full moon will reach its peak at 8:53 a.m. ET on Wednesday, but the illuminating orb will appear full through Thursday evening, according to NASA. Named after the heavy snowfall typically associated with February, this moon bears significance in various indigenous cultures. The Comanche call it the sleet moon, the Lakota tribes refer to it as the time when trees crack due to the cold, and the Wishram people describe it as the shoulder-to-shoulder around the fire moon. Additionally, four planets are easily seen after sunset until mid-February, bringing excitement to stargazers. While some may refer to this as a special alignment, it's quite common to see a couple of planets in the sky; however, spotting four or five at once is rarer. The planets take their positions along a line due to their orbits in a flat plane known as the ecliptic. Venus glimmers brightly to the west, amber Mars is visible in the eastern sky, Jupiter shines overhead, and a faint Saturn appears low in the western sky shortly after sunset. By late February, Mercury will be shining prominently above the horizon at dusk. Mark your calendars for the full moons ahead: March 14 brings the Worm moon, April 12 the Pink moon, and so on through the year. Additionally, two partial solar eclipses are expected in 2025, with the first on March 29, visible across parts of the globe. This year’s worm moon will coincide with a total lunar eclipse, creating a stunning deep rusty-red hue due to the Earth’s shadow. These celestial events remind us of nature's beauty and the significance of the February full moon.
