March's supermoon will light up the night sky on Monday
March's supermoon is here, and it promises to be the biggest and brightest of the year. It's called the Worm Moon, and it peaks Monday night.
The last full moon of winter will reach peak fullness at 1:48 p.m. EDT on Monday, March 9, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. The moon will, however, appear full from Sunday through Tuesday night, visible to skywatchers provided the weather remains clear.
Native tribes in the northern and eastern U.S. named the full moon after the earthworm casts — fertilizer produced by the worms — that appear as the ground thaws ahead of spring, according to NASA. "At this time of the year, the ground begins to soften enough for earthworm casts to reappear, inviting robins and other birds to feed — a true sign of spring," the Old Farmer's Almanac said.
The Worm Moon is the most widely-used nickname for March's full moon, but it's also known as the Sap Moon, Crow Moon, Crust Moon, Sugar Moon, and Lenten Moon, NASA said.
A supermoon occurs when the full moon is closest to Earth in its elliptical orbit, making it appear brighter and larger than normal. There will be two additional supermoons this April and May.
Additionally, throughout the month of March, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are all visible before dawn, NASA said. Just wake up a little early and look toward the east to catch a glimpse of the three planets.
