Airplane Soars Across the Full 'Worm' Moon in Awesome Stargazer Photo

Airplane and Full ‘Worm’ Moon Over L.A.
An airplane cruises across a massive full “Worm” Moon over Los Angeles, Calif. in this photo sent to Space.com on March 16, 2014 by photographer Matt Hartman of Shorealone Films. (Image credit: Matt Hartman | Shorealone Films)

An airplane appears to cruise across the face of the massive full moon on Sunday (March 16) as it shined over Los Angeles in this outstanding photo sent in by California-based photographer Matt Hartman.

Hartman, of Shorealone Films, took the amazingly timed image the moon during as it reached its full phase for the month of March. The March full moon is also known as the Full "Worm" Moon. Hundreds of years ago Native American tribes in what is now the northern and eastern United States kept track of the seasons by giving names to each recurring full moon.

The Full Worm Moon was named to signify the softening of the ground and the reappearance of earthworm casts, which marked the return of robins. Northern tribes called this moon the Full Crow Moon, because the cawing of crows signaled the end of winter, or the Full Crust Moon because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night. [The Moon: 10 Surprising Facts]

12" Moon Globe. Buy Here (Image credit: Space.com Store)

This moon was also named The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees. Following their own customs European settlers created some of their own names. Since the lunar ("synodic") month is roughly 29.5 days in length on average, the dates of the full moon shift from year to year.

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Contributing Writer and Producer

Nina Sen is a freelance writer and producer who covered night sky photography and astronomy for Space.com. She began writing and producing content for Space.com in 2011 with a focus on story and image production, as well as amazing space photos captured by NASA telescopes and other missions. Her work also includes coverage of amazing images by astrophotographers that showcase the night sky's beauty.