Next Full Moon

The Next Full Moon is on Tuesday, February 7, 2012.  The Moon will be
"opposite" the Sun at 4:54 pm EST on Tuesday afternoon and will appear full
for 3 days around this time, from Monday morning through Thursday morning.
As usual, the wearing of suitably celebratory and celestial attire is
encouraged in honor of the full Moon.

Although it may not seem like it this year (for the US east coast, at
least), this is the Snow Moon or the Hunger Moon.  Full Moon names come from
the Native American tribes of what is now the northern and eastern United
States.  The full Moon in February was known as the Snow Moon because of the
heavy snows that fall during this month.  Bad weather and heavy snows made
hunting difficult, so this Moon was also called the Hunger Moon.

Many traditions follow calendars that are tied to the cycles of the Moon.
The Jewish month of Shevat began with the new Moon on January 23rd, so the
day after the full Moon, Wednesday, February 8, 2012, is the holiday Tu
B'Shevat, also known as the New Year for Trees.  Tu B'Shevat means the 15th
day of the month of Shevat, and most of the time (but not all of the time)
the 15th day of a lunar month falls on the day of the full Moon.


Thanks to my brother for teaching me that.