March’s full moon – according to some accounts as a supermoon – will dazzle viewers this Sunday (March 28), as the warm spring weather invites more people to go out and watch out.
The full moon lasts just a minute, but is sacred moon viewers can catch it at 2:48 pm EDT (18:48 UTC) on Sunday, when the moon appears opposite the sun in Earth-based longitude, according to a NASA statement. People who miss this moment will still be able to see a large, round moon – the rocky satellite will appear full for three days, from Saturday morning (March 27) through early Tuesday morning (March 30).
And, while it may be hard to tell, the moon of March has some accounts as a supermoon, as you define the term “supermoon.” This word was coined in 1979 by astronomer Richard Nolle, who says it refers to a new or full moon that is within 90% of a perigee, when the moon is closest to Land. Various publications and experts, e.g. TimeandDate.com and an astronaut Fred Espenak, you have different thresholds for determining when the moon is close enough to qualify for a supermoon. This year, some say there will be four full supermoons in 2021 (from March to June), while others say there will be three supermoons (from April to June), and some argue that there will only be two full supermoon (April and May), NASA reported.
So which moon will be the “superest”? “The full branches in April and May are almost as connected as the nearest full branches of the year,” NASA said in the statement. “The full moon on May 26, 2021, will be slightly closer to Earth than the full moon on April 26, 2021, but only by a narrow 0.04%.”
Related: In pictures: Glossy pictures of supermoon
A full moon has many names this weekend, but it is often referred to as the Moon Worm, according to a report by the Maine Farmer ‘s Almanac in the 1930s on what the Native Americans called the full moon. According to legend, Native American tribes apparently named it “Worm Moon” after worms that appear at this time of year. These invertebrates were destroyed by glaciers in the area at the end of the last ice age about 12,000 years ago, but were reintroduced by the arrival of Old World settlers who invasive species from Europe and Asia, according to NASA. As soon as the snowbag melts in the spring, these aggressive worms often move around.
Other names for the March moon include the Crow, Crust, Sap and Sugar Moon. According to the Maine Farmer’s Almanac, tribes in the northwestern United States called it the Moon Crow, because crows marked the end of winter, and other groups called it the Moon of the Crust. on, after snow-freezing bark at night, or the Moon Sap or Sugar, for early spring is the time of year for knocking maple trees.
At the same time, in the Hebrew calendar, this full moon falls in the middle of the month of Nisan, which is associated with observation Easter (or Pesach), a holiday that celebrates the biblical event of the Jewish people leaving after slavery in Egypt. This year, Passover begins at the end of the sun on March 27, and lasts until nightfall on April 4.
According to the western Christian ecclesiastical calendar, this moon is called the Paschal Moon, which is very important for determining the date of Easter. The word “Paschal” is a Latin word for Pesach. Easter is usually celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon in spring. However, due to differences in East and West church calendars, this year Easter falls on two dates: April 4 for Western Christianity, which sees the moon of March as the first full moon in the spring, and May 2 for the Eastern Ordinary Church, which sees the next full moon as the Paschal Moon, NASA said.
For Hindus, this full moon corresponds to the festival of colors, called Holi, which signifies the victory of good over evil, as well as the beginning of spring. This year, Holi falls on March 29th. In Sri Lanka, this full moon is called Medin or Madin Poya, and marks the Buddha ‘s first meeting with his father after his enlightenment, NASA reported. For followers of Islam, this full moon falls in the middle of the month of Sha’ban, the month before Ramadan.
Spectators will also be able to see other celestial events, unless they are stopped by cloudy skies. On Sunday, the day of the full moon, Mars is the only planet to be seen after dark. Look for it on the western horizon, NASA suggested.
To catch a live stream of Worm Moon, tap into the Virtual Telescope Project, which shows the full moon rising over Rome.
First published on Living Science.