Many parts of the world witnessed a brighter Moon this week, which also marked the beginning of the spring season. The Worm Moon - a rather unusual name - began shining brighter from Wednesday evening and will continue to spread its light till Saturday morning.
The peak occurred at 3.18am EDT on Friday (12.45pm IST), according to NASA. However, it was not visible in India because it's usually brightest in the afternoon.
This year's Worm Moon is also a Supermoon and occurs two days before the Spring Equinox, also known as the Vernal Equinox, on March 20.
What is a Worm Moon?
This is the last full Moon of the winter equinox and the beginning of spring. The name was given by some native American tribes.
Two such events have already been reported this year - Wolf Moon on January 17 and Snow Moon on February 16.
A Supermoon
The March Moon is being called a Supermoon as it appears much larger and brighter than a regular full moon. This happens because of the “Moon illusion”, according to CNN which quotes from the Farmer's Almanac.
The phenomenon occurs when the Moon is near the horizon and our eyes compare its size to trees, buildings or other objects.
History of the term “Worm Moon”
There are many theories behind the origin of the term “Worm Moon”. One of them said the name referred to earthworms appearing as soil temperature increased at this time of year, according to Newsweek.
However, later research claimed the name actually referred to beetle larvae emerging from thawing bark of trees, according to Newsweek report.
Other full moon dates in 2022
There are nine full moons left in 2022. According to a list compiled by the CNN, these are: Pink moon (April 16), flower moon (May 16), strawberry moon (June 14), buck moon (July 13), sturgeon moon (August 11), harvest moon (September 10), hunter's moon (October 9), beaver moon (November 8) and cold moon (December 7).
