02/13/2026
This is interesting tonight FULL SNOW MOON !The name "Snow Moon" originates from the Algonquin, Ojibwe, and other Indigenous peoples of northeastern North America, who named each Full Moon after the dominant seasonal characteristic of that month. February is historically the snowiest month across much of the northern United States and Canada, with heavy winter storms blanketing the landscape, deep snowpack covering fields and forests, and harsh conditions making hunting and travel difficult. The Snow Moon rises during the coldest, darkest stretch of winter, just weeks before the spring equinox begins to shift the balance back toward warmth and light. Other traditional names for the February Full Moon include the Hunger Moon (food stores running low by late winter, game animals scarce), the Storm Moon (frequent blizzards and nor'easters), and the Chaste Moon (symbolizing the purity of late winter snow before the mud and melt of early spring).
TONIGHT, FEBRUARY 13, 2026, AT 4:01 PM EST (1:01 PM PST, 22:01 UTC), THE FULL SNOW MOON REACHES PEAK ILLUMINATION — the moment when the Moon sits directly opposite the Sun in Earth's sky, with 100% of its near side bathed in sunlight, shining at magnitude -12.7, bright enough to cast sharp shadows, dim the stars, and dominate the night from moonrise at sunset to moonset at dawn. This is the second Full Moon of 2026, arriving exactly 29.5 days after January's Wolf Moon, and it marks the culmination point of the lunar cycle that began with the New Moon on January 29. In many spiritual and astrological traditions, the Full Moon represents harvest, visibility, release, and the peak expression of intentions planted two weeks earlier at the New Moon. Tonight is the night to honor what has come to fruition, to let go of what no longer serves, and to stand under the Moon's light in gratitude and surrender.
The name "Snow Moon" originates from the Algonquin, Ojibwe, and other Indigenous peoples of northeastern North America, who named each Full Moon after the dominant seasonal characteristic of that month. February is historically the snowiest month across much of the northern United States and Canada, with heavy winter storms blanketing the landscape, deep snowpack covering fields and forests, and harsh conditions making hunting and travel difficult. The Snow Moon rises during the coldest, darkest stretch of winter, just weeks before the spring equinox begins to shift the balance back toward warmth and light. Other traditional names for the February Full Moon include the Hunger Moon (food stores running low by late winter, game animals scarce), the Storm Moon (frequent blizzards and nor'easters), and the Chaste Moon (symbolizing the purity of late winter snow before the mud and melt of early spring).
Astronomically, the Full Moon occurs when the Moon's orbital position places it 180 degrees opposite the Sun as seen from Earth. Sunlight strikes the Moon's near side at a zero-degree phase angle, eliminating all shadows from craters, mountains, and maria (the dark volcanic plains), which is why the Full Moon appears as a bright, flat disc rather than a three-dimensional sphere with visible topography. The Moon reaches peak brightness not at the exact moment of full phase (4:01 PM EST today), but a few hours before, when the phase angle is slightly less than zero and the Moon exhibits the "opposition effect" — a sudden surge in brightness caused by light reflecting directly back toward the Sun and Earth, with no shadows visible on the surface.
Tonight, the Snow Moon will rise in the east around sunset (exact time depends on your latitude — 5:30 PM EST for New York, 5:00 PM PST for Los Angeles, 6:15 PM CST for Chicago) and will remain visible all night, crossing the meridian (its highest point in the sky) around midnight local time, and setting in the west at sunrise on February 14. The Moon will be in the constellation Leo, positioned near the bright star Regulus, making it easy to locate in the southern sky. If you observe just after moonrise, you may notice the Moon appears slightly larger and more orange near the horizon — an optical illusion caused by atmospheric refraction and the "Moon illusion," a psychological effect where the Moon seems bigger when viewed against foreground objects like trees, buildings, or mountains. In reality, the Moon's angular size remains constant throughout the night at approximately 0.5 degrees (30 arcminutes).
This Full Moon is not a Supermoon — the Moon will be approximately 385,000 kilometers (239,000 miles) from Earth, close to its average distance, and will appear about 7% smaller than a Supermoon that occurs at perigee (closest approach). The next true Supermoon (Full Moon coinciding with perigee) will occur on September 18, 2026. However, even an "average" Full Moon is a spectacular sight, especially under clear skies and away from light pollution. The Snow Moon's brightness is sufficient to read by, navigate without a flashlight, photograph landscapes with long exposures, and cast distinct shadows on snow-covered ground.
Spiritually and astrologically, the Full Moon is seen as a time of culmination, harvest, release, and visibility. Whatever was seeded — literally or metaphorically — at the New Moon on January 29 now reaches its peak expression. This is the moment when hidden things become visible, when emotions rise to the surface, when clarity arrives, and when the results of the past two weeks reveal themselves. In many traditions, the Full Moon is a time for gratitude rituals, releasing what no longer serves, charging moon water (water left under moonlight to absorb lunar energy for later use in rituals or intention-setting), and honoring the cyclical nature of growth and decay. The Snow Moon, in particular, is associated with endurance, survival, introspection, resilience, and the quiet strength required to make it through the final stretch of winter before spring's renewal.
Here is a complete Snow Moon ritual for tonight, February 13, designed to honor the Moon's light, release what is ready to leave, and prepare for the waning cycle ahead:
PREPARATION (15 minutes before moonrise or anytime after dark): Find a space where you can see the Moon — a window, balcony, backyard, or outdoor location away from artificial lights. Gather: a journal and pen, a white or silver candle, a bowl of water, a small piece of paper, matches or a lighter, and if you wish, sage, incense, or a cleansing herb. Dress warmly if observing outside in cold weather. Bring a blanket or mat to sit on.
CLEANSING (5 minutes): Light your candle and, if using, the sage or incense. Stand or sit comfortably, close your eyes, and take ten slow, deep breaths — inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for six. Visualize the smoke or candlelight clearing any stagnant energy from your body and the space around you. Say aloud or silently: "I clear what does not serve. I make space for what is ready to arrive."
MOON GAZING (10 minutes): Open your eyes and look at the Moon. Do not stare directly at it — allow your gaze to be soft, receptive. Notice the Moon's brightness, its position in the sky, the way it illuminates the landscape or clouds. Feel the light on your skin. Breathe slowly and allow yourself to simply be present with the Moon, without agenda or expectation. This is a time of reception, not action.
GRATITUDE (5 minutes): With your journal, write down three to five things that have come to fruition in the past two weeks — anything that has grown, manifested, clarified, or completed since the New Moon on January 29. These can be external (a project finished, a conversation resolved, a goal achieved) or internal (a realization, an emotional shift, a pattern recognized). Write until you feel complete. Read your list aloud to the Moon as an offering of gratitude.
RELEASE (10 minutes): Now, reflect on what you are ready to let go of. This could be a habit (procrastination, self-criticism, overcommitment), an emotion (resentment, fear, shame), a relationship dynamic (codependency, people-pleasing, holding grudges), or a belief (I am not enough, I have to do everything alone, I don't deserve rest). Write it down on the small piece of paper — be specific. Examples: "I release the belief that I must be perfect to be loved." "I release the habit of checking my phone first thing in the morning." "I release anger toward [person] for [event]."
When you are ready, read the paper aloud, slowly, acknowledging each item. Then, safely burn the paper in the candle flame (use a fireproof bowl or dish to catch ashes). As it burns, visualize each item dissolving into smoke and leaving your body, your energy field, your life. Say aloud: "I release what no longer serves. I make space for renewal. I honor the cycle of letting go." Let the paper burn completely, then extinguish the flame.
WATER OFFERING (5 minutes): Pour the bowl of water onto the earth outside (if you are indoors, pour it into a plant or down a drain with intention). As you pour, visualize the water carrying away the ashes of what you released, returning them to the earth to be transformed. Say: "What has ended returns to the earth. What is ready to begin will arrive in its time." If you wish to charge moon water for later use, fill a clean glass jar or bottle with water and leave it on a windowsill or outside where it will receive moonlight for at least three hours (bring it inside before sunrise). This water can be used later for drinking, watering plants, or adding to ritual baths.
CLOSING (5 minutes): Return to your seat or standing position. Place your hands over your heart and bow — to yourself, to the Moon, to the process of releasing and receiving. Say aloud or silently: "Thank you, Moon, for your light. Thank you for illuminating what was hidden. I honor what has come, and I release what is leaving. I am ready for what comes next." Blow out the candle (or let it burn safely in a protected space). Sit in silence for a few more breaths, then go about your evening with intention.
The Snow Moon will appear full for about three days — visibly full on February 12, fully illuminated tonight (February 13), and still bright tomorrow (February 14, Valentine's Day), adding a romantic celestial backdrop to the evening. By February 17, the Moon will have waned to a waning gibbous phase and will no longer interfere with astronomical observations of faint objects like nebulae or galaxies.
Tonight is not just another Full Moon. It is the Snow Moon — the Moon of endurance, of making it through the hardest season, of honoring the darkness before the return of light. Step outside after sunset. Look up. Let the moonlight touch your face. Speak your gratitude. Release what is ready to leave. The Moon has been rising for 4.5 billion years. It will still be rising long after we are gone. But tonight, it rises for you.
Will you be watching, or will you let it pass unnoticed overhead?
