Fun Facts About the Full Moon

Debbie’s Daily Dose of Food for Thought

Many people experience “something different” every full moon. Some have vivid dreams, others feel antsy and others find a sense of renewal from the moon’s light and energy. As you notice and enjoy the full moon this month, think of this Irish blessing, “May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door.”

Phases of the Moon

There are eight phases of the moon. They are: new, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full, waning gibbous, last quarter and waning crescent. When we see a full moon, we are actually only seeing one side of it. Click here for more information about the phases of the moon.

Interesting Facts about a Full Moon

A full moon appears every 29.53 days. It is possible to have two full moons in one month and occasionally there is no full moon in February. The next time will be in February 2018.

The Full Moon Has Many Names

The Algonquian people had a different name for each full moon, depending on the month. Each name is linked to the season and nature. We have all heard about September’s Harvest Moon, but did you know the Strawberry Moon is the name for the full moon in June? This is because strawberries are ready for picking! To learn more about the monthly names for the moon, visit this site.

Folklore about the Full Moon

There is an old folklore belief that rain follows the full moon and moon phases. In an Oct. 6, 2010 article, Science Now confirmed that researchers have found this to be true. The full moon and moon phases “do seem to account for 1 to 2 percent of the total changes in rainfall or stream runoff. ‘It's a real effect, but it's a real small effect.’"