February 2026 Full Moon to Shine as Snow Moon on Feb. 1

The February 2026 full moon, dubbed the 'Snow Moon,' will reach peak illumination at 5:09 p.m. EST on Feb. 1, marking a celestial event intertwined with winter traditions and planetary alignments.

This lunar phase, named by The Old Farmer's Almanac for its association with heavy mid-winter snowfall, also carries alternative designations including 'Hungry Moon' and 'Bear Moon' from Indigenous North American tribes, and 'Storm Moon' as cataloged by Royal Observatory Greenwich.

Observational data from In-the-Sky.org indicates Jupiter will appear as a prominent evening star near the full moon, while Regulus in the constellation Leo will be occulted by the lunar disc on Feb. 2.

Cultural observances align with Guru Ravidas Jayanti in India and Magha Purnima celebrations. Skywatchers in New York (40.7128° N, 74.0060° W), London (51.5074° N, 0.1278° E), and Sydney (33.8688° S, 151.2093° E) will observe the moon's peak at 5:09 p.m. EST, 10:09 p.m. GMT, and 9:09 a.m. AEDT respectively.

The moon's apparent size variation near the horizon is attributed to the moon illusion phenomenon, while Rayleigh scattering explains the reddening effect during low-angle observations.

Astronomical calculations confirm the full moon occurs when the moon is directly opposite the sun, a configuration that will be visible globally despite regional atmospheric conditions.