Pennsylvania stargazers can see snow moon peak and a very bright planet. When to look
A full “snow” moon will peak over Pennsylvania soon, and stargazers can also see Venus shine especially bright.
February’s full moon is called the snow moon because the month can be the snowiest of the year, according to the popular Farmers’ Almanac. State College residents faced a major winter storm in January that led to school closures.
Other names for the moon include the deep snow moon, ice moon, midwinter moon and more.
Full moons have multiple names, and many come from Indigenous cultures. The Farmers’ Almanac uses Indigenous moon names, along with monikers from colonial America and other North American sources.
The snow moon will peak at 8:53 a.m. Eastern Standard Time Wednesday, Feb. 12, the Farmers’ Almanac reports. Since the sun will be up at this time, you might want to look the night before. The National Weather Service reports State College residents can expect temperatures from 18 degrees Fahrenheit to 38 degrees in the coming days, with a chance of snow or wintry mix in the forecast for Saturday, Feb. 8.
Longer days are coming to Centre County soon as daylight saving time approaches, although some lawmakers have advocated for stopping the practice.
The sun will set at 5:41 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11 and rise at 7:08 a.m. the next morning in State College, according to online clock Time and Date.
Along with the snow moon, NASA reports Venus will shine “at its brightest for the year” this month through early March. Unlike the moon, Venus is not brightest when it is “full,” according to NASA, but shines brighter when it is closer to the earth in its crescent phase.
Full moons in 2025
After the snow moon, stargazers will have 10 more opportunities to see a full moon this year. Here’s when to look, from Astronomy.com:
Friday, March 14: Worm moon
Saturday, April 12: Pink moon
Monday, May 12: Flower moon
Wednesday, June 11: Strawberry moon
Thursday, July 10: Buck moon
Saturday, Aug. 9: Sturgeon moon
Sunday, Sept. 7: Corn moon
Monday, Oct. 6: Hunter’s moon (supermoon)
Wednesday, Nov. 5: Beaver moon (supermoon)
Thursday, Dec. 4: Cold moon (supermoon)
For those interested in stargazing as a group, the Central Pennsylvania Observers will host its next free, public Skywatch event this spring. The organization also holds public meetings, typically the first Thursday of each month.
The first meteor shower of 2025 was the Quadrantids, which peaked Jan. 3, according to astronomy publication Space.com. The next meteor shower will be the Lyrid shower, which will occur Wednesday, April 16 to Friday, April 25 and peak Tuesday, April 22. At its maximum, the Lyrids could bring up to 18 meteors per hour visible in a clear sky, Space.com says.
In January, Pennsylvania stargazers got the chance to see a “planet parade,” including Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars.
