February 1: The Snow Moon
The explanation behind February’s full moon name is a fairly straightforward one: it’s known as the “Snow Moon” due to the typically heavy snowfall that occurs in February. On average, February is the United States’ snowiest month, according to data from the National Weather Service. Another theme of this month’s moon names is scarcity. The Cherokee names of “Month of the Bony Moon” and “Hungry Moon” give evidence to the fact that food was hard to come by at this time. In some Celtic histories, February’s full moon is referred to as the “Ice Moon.”
Image courtesy of Old Farmer's Almanac
February 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11: Artemis II launch opportunities Artemis II is a planned lunar spaceflight mission under the Artemis program, led by NASA. It is intended to be the second flight of the Space Launch System (SLS), and is both the first crewed mission of the Orion spacecraft and the first crewed mission to the vicinity of the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than February 6, 2026.
***The launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first flight of astronauts to the Moon in more than 53 years, will have to wait another month after a fueling test Monday uncovered hydrogen leaks in the connection between the rocket and its launch platform at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
“Engineers pushed through several challenges during the two-day test and met many of the planned objectives,” NASA said in a statement following the conclusion of the mock countdown, or wet dress rehearsal (WDR), early Tuesday morning. “To allow teams to review data and conduct a second Wet Dress Rehearsal, NASA now will target March as the earliest possible launch opportunity for the flight test."***
Image courtesy of NASA
February 28: Planetary Alignment:
Planetary alignment is an astronomical term that means that several planets gather closely on one side of the Sun at the same time. Look for a large planetary alignment around February 28. In the evening, about an hour after sunset, six planets — Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn, Neptune, Venus, and Mercury — will align in the sky. Four of them (Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, and Mercury) will be easily visible to the naked eye. For Uranus and Neptune, you’ll need a pair of binoculars or a small telescope. The Moon, about 90% illuminated, will also be in the sky, appearing very close to Jupiter. This will create a particularly beautiful view. Catching six planets in the sky at once requires precise timing. Mercury and Venus will stay low above the horizon, so the observation window is short. Good luck!
Image courtesy of the National Park Service
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