From a full moon perspective, 2026 is an unusual year – in fact it has not 12 but 13 full moons. The first full moon passed on January 3, when the giant Wolf Moon appeared in the night sky. February will also delight you with a beautiful natural spectacle – the Snow Moon. And although scientists have long proven that the full moon does not affect the Earth or its inhabitants, many believe that special energy can change the emotional state of a person. Lenta.ru tells why the February moon is called Snowy, when it can be observed and what celestial objects can be seen next to it.
Snow Moon 2026: date and time
The Snow Moon is the second full moon of the year – when the entire lunar disk is visible in the February sky.
In 2026, the Snow Moon will appear on the night of February 1-2 and reach fullness at 1:09 Moscow time.
Modern astronomy identifies eight phases of the Moon that are visible to observers from Earth. The most notable of these are: new moon – when the Moon is not visible; Waxing/waxing moon – sickle can be seen in the sky; full moon – a bright circle visible in the sky.
“Between full moons, as well as between other phases of the Moon, a little less than a month on Earth passes – 29.5 days,” Viktor Govorov, teacher and tutor of physics and astronomy, said in an interview with Lenta.ru. — The new moon has no name, the only exception being the Black Moon, when two new moons appear in one month. The last time such a phenomenon happened was in 2018 and the next time will only be in 2037. But the full moon, being the most notable celestial phenomenon, already has its own name. However, their dates “float” every year, just like the Zodiac constellations through which Earth's satellite passes.”
In 2026, the Snow Moon will rise in the constellation Leo
In 2025, the Snow Moon occurs on February 12 in the constellation Cancer and in 2027 it will occur on February 21 in the constellation Leo.
Why does the full moon have a different date each year? Physics and astronomy teacher Viktor Govorov explains: The full moon date is different every year, this is due to the difference between the solar year (365 days) and lunar year (354 days). For the same reason, there are two new moons or two full moons in a month.
To admire the Snow Moon, you don't need any special equipment; The lunar disk is completely visible to the naked eye. But a lot depends on the climatic reality on that day.
Why is there a Snow Moon in February?
February is the month when snow covers the north of almost the entire Northern Hemisphere of the Earth – both in Eurasia and North America. The heaviest snowfall occurs in late winter. It's not surprising that many people call the full moon at this time the Snow Moon.
“The name of the February full moon, the snow moon, came to American and then world popular culture from the Sioux language, and in particular from its dialect used by the Dakota Indians,” American historian Igor Fisenko said in an interview with Lenta.ru. “It is not surprising that the Sioux and Dakota in particular made Hollywood home to the largest number of Western films, since clashes with the Sioux were the bloodiest in the Great Plains.”
In the middle of the 20th century, everything related to the Indians was very fashionable, so the Indian Snow Moon firmly entered the vocabulary Igor Fisenko, American historian
In the Dakota language, the February moon is often called Wíoθeȟa Wiŋ, which translates as “Moon of harsh times” or “Moon of great snow,” the expert continued.
February in the Northern Hemisphere is also the hungriest month, when winter supplies are nearly exhausted. “And this is also reflected in the language of another “Hollywood” Indians – the Iroquois tribe of the Cherokee, says Fisenko. — Interestingly, the Cherokee do not distinguish between the names of the Sun and the Moon; both luminaries are designated by the word nvda. And accordingly, the luminaries in February are called Kola Nvda (Bone, or Hungry Moon/Sun). Perhaps, for popular culture, the Snow Moon remains more attractive than the Bone Moon, which is why the Dakota-derived term took root.”
Where spring begins in February, the full moon is named accordingly. For example in Vietnam and China it is the Moon is blooming and 新月 (“xing yue”) – Moon is blooming. The Chinese say in February: “Beautiful flowers and full moon.”
And in the Southern Hemisphere, where hot summers end in February and crops are harvested, the moon also has its own names. In Australia and New Zealand, the February full moon is commonly known as:
Grain or Barley Moon (Grain/Barley Moon); as well as the Red or Dog Moon, because at this time the hottest and driest “red” or “dog” days begin.
What will be seen near the Moon in February
Physics and astronomy teacher Viktor Govorov tells which celestial objects can be observed near the Moon in February with the naked eye or through binoculars from Russian territory.
February 1 – one of the closest open star clusters to Earth, Manger in the constellation Cancer. This cluster contains 1010 stars, some of which have Earth-like exoplanets. February 3 – Blue binary star Spica, brightest in the constellation Virgo and 16th brightest in the sky. February 17 – Comet Wierzczos will approach Earth at a minimum distance and achieve brilliance. February 19 – Mercury will move as far away from the Sun as possible and will stand close to the Moon in the constellation Aquarius. Additionally, next to the Moon will be Saturn and Neptune in the constellation Pisces. February 23 – Uranus in Taurus will appear clearly next to the Moon. February 24 – The Pleiades in Taurus will appear next to the Moon. February 27 – orange planet Jupiter and the nearest giant star Pollux in the constellation Gemini will stand close to Earth's satellite. February 28 – The Manger Cluster will again appear next to the Moon in the constellation Cancer. Also on this day, you can watch the parade of planets: Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn, Neptune, Venus and Mercury will line up in the night sky.
The influence of the snow moon
Today there are many scientific studies proving that the Moon – not the Snow Moon or any other – does not affect human physiology and psychology. However, astrologers still believe differently, endowing each phase of the Earth's satellite, especially the full moon, with special properties.
In their opinion, the Full Moon constitutes energy, and each full moon is a harbinger of changes that can entail drastic changes in the inner world and fate of a person.
“In astrology, the Moon is associated with themes of security and belonging to family and clan,” said astrologer Lidiya Merezhkovskaya in an interview with Lenta.ru. “And it is very important which constellation the Full Moon is in.”
The Snow Moon in the constellation Leo is the meeting of winter cold and inner fire. Today, many people note heightened intuition and greater sensitivity in general, when unspoken feelings can hint at what will happen in reality, says astrologer Lydia Merezhkovskaya
“The full moon is traditionally considered a period of strong emotional outbursts in people with higher sensitivity,” says Vladimir Rauf, teacher at the astrology school Fortuna Spica. “At the same time, the full moon in Leo, and this is precisely the Snow Moon that awaits us in February, is traditionally associated with the fifth house, which is responsible for creativity and pleasant surprises.”
Leo is the most active and proud character in the zodiac, and therefore the Snow Moon is not a time for reflection but a time for action. This is a reason to put aside accumulated fatigue, complete old tasks, set intentions and start setting goals. Improving intuition during this period will help form them more accurately Vladimir Rauf, teacher at the school of astrology
Astrologers say the Snow Moon in Leo is a good time to experience intuition. For example, this is a good time to buy lottery tickets and try your luck in other ways.
But on this day, it is better not to make serious decisions, such as buying real estate, because a person's self-esteem and taste for flattery become “lion-like”, and on the contrary, the ability to correctly assess the situation will decrease.
Lenta.ru experts have named three periods of strong energy from February 1 to February 2, 2026:
from 11:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. – the most powerful time when the Moon's energy is structured; from 9:00 to 11:00 – “Leo's golden hour”, the time when the sun is active; from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. – The Moon stabilizes the emotional foundation and awakens the energy of creation.
Do's and don'ts in Snow Moon
Lenta.ru experts believe that today's sharp intuition will help structure the energy of Leo and direct it in the right direction. They named desirable and undesirable actions on the full moon days of February.
What you can do:
publicly declared his talent; boast; confess your love; termination of relationships; present; change the image; completing boring tasks; exercise; tourism; have fun.
What not to do:
make serious decisions; expensive purchases; loan; start large-scale projects; planning major medical operations; quarrels and conflicts; over-dramatizing what is happening; to freely control emotions; do something to irritate someone; abuse of alcohol and other psychostimulants.
