February full moon – the smallest of 2024 – Feb 23-24

When and where to look in 2024: Look for the bright, round full moon ascending in the east shortly after sunset, as twilight darkens on February 23. It glows high in the south near midnight and drops low in the west when it is at its fullest shortly before sunrise on February 24. And then, when it rises in the early evening on the 24th, it will also appear full.

At the time of full moon, the moon, Earth, and the sun – in that order – are in alignment.

Crest of the full moon falls at 12:30 UTC on February 24 (that’s 6:30 a.m. CST), which is about 30 minutes before sunrise in central North America.

The moon is roundest on the day it reaches the crest of its full phase, but, on the nights immediately before and after, it also appears round. So, the rising moons on February 23 and 24 will both appear full.

The February full moon is also called the Snow Moon. All full moons have popular nicknames. The bright, full moon in February is commonly called either the Snow Moon or the Hunger Moon.

February’s full moon is the smallest of 2024

Some moons are supermoons. That is, they’re both full and in a close part of their orbits to Earth. But the February 2024 full moon is a micromoon. It is particularly far from Earth. Its farthest point, called apogee, is reached at 15 UTC on February 25.

So, the February full moon is 2024’s farthest – and only – full micromoon this year. Its distance will be 252,225 miles (405,917 kilometers). Compare that to the average distance between Earth and the moon, 238,900 miles (384,472 kilometers). Often its distance is simply stated as 240,000 miles (386,242 kilometers).

Does a full mircomoon look smaller?

A careful comparison with photos of other full moons will show that this full moon appears somewhat smaller than average in our sky. Will it look smaller to you? Probably not. But its brightness will be diminished, in contrast to other full moons.

A full micromoon can appear about 14% smaller than a full moon supermoon, and its smaller size shows in comparison photos … but its size difference is tough to see with the eye.

And, a full micromoon is about 30% less bright than a full supermoon. However, “less bright” doesn’t mean it’ll be dim! This February’s full moon will appear to shine brightly, as all full moons do. And it might appear especially bright to you if you live in a place where it is winter, where the leaves are off the deciduous trees. Does snow cover the ground where you are? If so, the moon will look brighter still.

February full moon in Leo

The February full moon can lie in front of one of three constellations, two of them are constellations of the zodiac. Most years – as in this year – it falls in Leo the Lion. But it can also lie in Cancer the Crab just west of Leo, as it will in 2026. Infrequently, it happens in Sextans, an obscure constellation immediately south of Leo.

Occasionally, a full moon doesn’t occur at all in February. That happened last in 2018. It won’t happen again until 2037.

The star near this full moon is Regulus

On the night of February 23, 2024, the moon shines immediately north of Leo’s brightest star, Regulus. It means little king. Everyone on Earth will see Regulus in the moon’s vicinity on this night. To see a precise view from your location, try Stellarium.

Regulus might appear dim in the glare of the brightly lit moon. For an easier view, block the moon with your hand. Or place yourself so a distant landscape object, such as a tree branch or a utility pole, blocks the moon. That’ll give you a better view of the star!

February full moon and the August sun

Since the full moon is placed opposite the sun in the sky, the February full moon lies about where the sun will be six months from now. In fact, the blindingly bright sun moves directly below Regulus – in an event called a conjunction – in the August 23 daytime sky, six months after the full moon was just north of Regulus.

Bottom line: The full Snow Moon happens overnight on February 23-24, 2024. It’s the smallest full moon of 2024 and glows near the bright star Regulus in Leo.