The Moons of 2022

If you didn’t get your Farmer’s Almanac this year or suffer from lycanthropy, here is your guide to the Full Moons of 2022:

January 22nd –
The Full Wolf Moon. Amid the zero cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. In London, impeccably dressed werewolves are often seen on the prowl in search of a dish of beef chow mein.

It was also known as the Old Moon or the Moon After Yule. In some tribes this was the Full Snow Moon; most applied that name to the next Moon.

February 16th –
The second full moon of 2020 is known as The Full Snow Moon. Usually the heaviest snows fall in this month. Hunting becomes very difficult, and hence internet traffic increases threefold. To the settlers, it was also known as the Lenten Moon.

Some tribes also referred to this Moon as the Full Hunger Moon, since harsh weather conditions in their areas made hunting very difficult.

March 18th –
The Full Worm Moon. In this month the ground softens and the earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of the robins. Just what you want to think about in the morning – worm crap. It moon known as The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, this is another variation of the Full Worm Moon. it was considered to be the last full Moon of winter.

The more northern tribes knew this Moon as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signaled the end of winter; or the Full Crust Moon, because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night.

April 16th –
The Full Pink Moon. The grass pink or wild ground phlox is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names were the Full Pink Floyd Moon because remember – there is no dark side of the moon – it’s all dark.

This year, the full moon of the month is also designated as the Paschal Full Moon or the Paschal Term. Traditionally, Easter is observed on the Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. If the Paschal Moon occurs on a Sunday, Easter is the following Sunday. This was a long winded way of explaining that for Western Christianity, Easter occurs on April 17. (This year, for Eastern Christians, Easter occurs on April 24.) Be thankful that this is not on the test.

Hang tight folks, you’ll be OK.

May 16th –
The Full Flower Moon. Flowers are abundant everywhere. Usually at your local Korean deli around the corner.

Other names include the Full Corn Planting Moon, or the Milk Moon (in a few months, the moon will be full of cheese.) This year’s Flower Moon will also feature a Total Lunar eclipse at 12:11 a.m. Eastern. The eclipse will last for 3 hours and 7 minutes total. The fully eclipsed portion should be visible (or invisible, to be precise) for 15 minutes. The eclipse will be visible from east Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and the Americas.

June 14th –
The Full Strawberry Moon. This name was universal to every Algonquin tribe. However, in Europe they called it the Rose Moon. Also because the relatively short season for harvesting strawberries comes each year during the month of June . . . so the full Moon that occurs during that month was christened for the strawberry!

Best seen in Central Park, across from the Dakota.

June’s Full Moon also coincides with a Supermoon. The Moon will be at one of its closest points to Earth all year at 7:21 p.m. Eastern.

July 13th –
The Full Buck Moon, when the new antlers of buck deer push out from their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. Again another disgusting image – bone pushing through flesh – for your early morning.

It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, for the reason that thunderstorms are most frequent during this time. Another name for this month’s Moon was the Full Hay Moon. (There will also be a Supermoon this month as well.)

August 11th –
The Full Sturgeon Moon, when this large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water like Lake Champlain is most readily caught. Sometimes, a sort of lunar madness occurs during this cycle, when people might chase the full moon with a little chopped egg and sour cream. Please direct these poor souls to Zabar’s.

A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because, as the Moon rises, it appears reddish through any sultry haze. It was also called the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon.

September 10th –
The Full Harvest Moon, usually the full Moon occurring nearest to the Autumnal Equinox.

This is the time of year, aging Canadian Rock stars will sing full out with their once achingly beautiful harmonies.

October 9th –
The Full Hunter’s Moon. With the leaves falling and the deer fattened, it is time to hunt.

Since the fields have been reaped, hunters can ride over the stubble, and can more easily see the fox, also other animals that have come out to glean and can be caught for a thanksgiving banquet after the harvest.

November 8th –
The Full Beaver Moon (OK stop snickering.) Time to set beaver traps before the swamps freeze to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Beaver Full Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now active in their preparation for winter.

This year, the Frost Moon features yet another total lunar eclipse, which will be at its peak at 5:59 a.m. Eastern on the same morning. It is sometimes also referred to as the Frosty Moon. (Really stop laughing.)

December 7th –
The Full Cold Moon (or the Full Long Nights Moon.) In this month the winter cold fastens its grip, and the nights are at their longest and darkest. Also sometimes called the Moon before Yule.

The term Long Night Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long, and because the Moon is above the horizon for a long time. The midwinter full Moon has a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite a low Sun. Rudolph sometimes gets the night off because of the bright light.

And so it goes my friends.