The Full Snow Moon of February 2022 rises tonight!

The full moon looks massive as it sets behind the Very Large Telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert, in this photo release on Jun 7, 2010. Why do observers report that the moon looks larger near the horizon than it does high in the sky? It may be nothing more than a trick of perspective.
The full moon looks massive as it sets behind the Very Large Telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert, in this photo release on Jun 7, 2010. Why do observers report that the moon looks larger near the horizon than it does high in the sky? It may be nothing more than a trick of perspective. (Image credit: Gordon Gillet/ESO)

The Snow Moon will reach its peak today (Feb. 16) and join a cluster of planets lighting up the morning sky.

The full moon, known as the Snow Moon, will be at its brightest at 11:57 a.m. EST (1657 GMT), though it will appear nearly full both the night before and the night after. And the moon isn't the only excitement in the night sky; if you look carefully by the full moon tonight you will see the bright star Regulus in the constellation Leo, the lion.

And don't forget to look up in the early morning sky as a few planets will also make an appearance.

Related: February full moon 2022: The 'Snow Moon' is accompanied by predawn planets

This sky map shows where Mercury, Venus and Mars will be visible in the morning sky on the day of the full moon. (Image credit: SkySafari app)

A few planets will accompany the moon in the early morning today. 

For those in the eastern U.S., Venus rises at approximately 4:20 a.m. local time in New York City (0920 GMT) today and the planet will be 22 degrees above the horizon by sunrise. Mars comes up a little later, at 4:48 a.m. EDT (0948 GMT) and you should be able to spot fleeing Mercury as it is at its greatest distance, or elongation, west of the sun. Yet another planet, Jupiter, will also be visible for a short window before sunset tonight.

While those planets are rising in the east, the full moon will be setting in the west. In New York City, for example, the moon will set at 7:11 a.m. local time and rise again tonight at 5:32 p.m. local time. (You can find out exactly what time the moon will rise and set at any location using Time and Date's moon calculator.)

The Snow Moon is one of many monikers by which February's full moon is recognized. While the moon goes by different names in different cultures, the Maine Farmers' Almanac began publishing the moon names given and known by Native American tribes in the 1930s.

The Snow Moon (also called the Storm Moon) is a name that stems from the Algonquin tribe "because of the heavy snows that fall in this season," according to NASA.

If you're looking for binoculars or a telescope to see the moon in the night sky, check out our guide for the best binocular deals and the best telescope deals now. If you need equipment to capture the moment, consider our guides for the best cameras for astrophotography and the best lenses for astrophotography to make sure you're ready for the next moon sighting.

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Elizabeth Howell
Staff Writer, Spaceflight

Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace