Catch the Full Worm Moon - and the Paschal Full Moon!
The full Worm Moon reaches its peak in the morning hours of Monday, March 25. Look for it to rise after sunset on both Sunday and Monday! What is a Worm Moon? Here are the real meaning and origins of March鈥檚 full Moon鈥攁nd when you can see this Moon at its brightest!
When to See the Full Moon in March 2024
The first full moon of the spring season will appear on the nights of Sunday, March 24, and Monday, March 25. Specifically, March鈥檚 full Worm Moon reaches peak illumination at 3:00 A.M. ET on Monday, March 25, 2024.
Of course, you don鈥檛 have to wait until the middle of the night to see the Moon! Look for the spectacularly bright Moon as it rises above the horizon on Sunday evening. If your weather is poor on Sunday night, try again on Monday! See when the Moon will be visible in your area.
Read Next
If you have just a bit of rain on either of these nights, you may even get to spot a rare phenomenon called a moonbow. A moonbow is just like a solar rainbow but is created by moonlight (rather than sunlight) when it is refracted through water droplets in the air. Moonbows only happen when the full Moon is fairly low in the sky, so look for one in the hours after sunset when the sky is dark. Learn more about moonbows here!
This March Moon will look especially large to us when it鈥檚 near the horizon because of the 鈥Moon illusion,鈥 which is when it looks bigger when near comparative objects than it does when it鈥檚 high in the sky without any references.
Why Is It Called the Worm Moon?
The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer鈥檚 蜜桃恋人 come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not only to the full Moon.
The Surprising Truth Behind the Worm Moon Name
March鈥檚 full Moon goes by the name Worm Moon. For many years, we thought this name referred to the earthworms that appear as the soil warms in spring. This invites robins and other birds to feed鈥攁 true sign of spring!
However, more research revealed another explanation. In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver visited the Naudowessie (Dakota) and other Native American tribes and wrote that the name Worm Moon refers to a different sort of 鈥渨orm鈥濃攂eetle larvae鈥攚hich begin to emerge from the thawing bark of trees and other winter hideouts at this time.
Alternative March Moon Names
There are quite a few names for the March Moon that speak to the transition from winter to spring. Some refer to the appearance (or reappearance) of certain animals, such as the Eagle Moon, Goose Moon (Algonquin, Cree), or Crow Comes Back Moon (Northern Ojibwe), while others refer to signs of the season:
- The Sugar Moon (Ojibwe) marks the time of year when the sap of sugar maples starts to flow.
- The Wind Strong Moon (Pueblo) refers to the strong, windy days that come at this time of year.
- The Sore Eyes Moon (Dakota, Lakota, Assiniboine) highlights the blinding rays of sunlight that reflect off the melting snow of late winter.
The Paschal Moon
March鈥檚 full Moon often plays a role in religion, too. Specifically, in Christianity, this Moon is known as the Lenten Moon if it is the last full Moon of the winter season (i.e., if it occurs before the spring equinox) or as the Paschal Full Moon if it is the first full Moon of spring (i.e., if it occurs after the spring equinox).
This year, March鈥檚 full Moon (March 25, 2024) occurs after the spring equinox (March 19, 2024), making it the Paschal Moon. March鈥檚 full Moon will be the first full Moon of the spring season and, therefore, will determine the date of Easter this year. Read more about how Easter鈥檚 date is determined.
鈫&苍产蝉辫;See all 12 months of full Moon names and meanings.
Moon Phases for March 2024
All dates and times listed here are Eastern Time. See our Moon Phase Calendar for local times.
March Moon Phase Dates and Times
.png){kind=small}
| Last Quarter: March 3, 10:23 A.M. ET |
.png){kind=small}
| New Moon: March 10, 5:00 A.M. ET |
.png){kind=small} | First Quarter: March 17, 12:11 A.M. ET |
.png){kind=small} | Full Moon: March 25, 3:00 A.M. ET |
鈫&苍产蝉辫;When is the next full Moon? Consult our Full Moon Calendar to find out!
March Worm Moon Video
Each month, we explain the traditional names of the full Moon along with some fascinating Moon facts. In this video, learn about the full Worm Moon, Moon illusions, and when and why the Moon rides high or low in the sky. Click below to watch the video.
Best Days in March 2024
Below are the best days for activities based on the Moon鈥檚 sign and phase in March.
For Planting:
Aboveground crops: 13, 14
Belowground crops: 1, 27-29
For Setting Eggs: 24, 25
For Fishing: 10-25
鈫扴别别 Best Days for more activities.
See more Full Moon Names and share your thoughts about this month鈥檚 Moon below!
Catherine Boeckmann
ADVERTISEMENT
Hi, Doug,
Not all worms are invasive.
The so-called night crawlers, the big earth worms are.
Worms are an invasive species. What did you call the worm moon before they brought them over from Europe?
It’s thought that the 鈥渨orms鈥 originally referred to by the 鈥淲orm Moon鈥 name were actually grubs and larvae native to eastern North America. After European colonists arrived and came up with their own interpretations of traditional Native American Moon names, earthworms became the subject of this name’s popular usage instead.
Last evening about 530 鈥 600 pm. The sun was still up low in the sky,though, and moon was on the other side of the sky. How could they both be seen together like that...??
I saw the name Full Sap Moon and was reading the comments like Anne (3/30/18) and wondered what other trees can be tapped. I remember an article about this once, somewhere, about a small tree or bush some people cut the tips of branches and bend them down to a bottle or jug rather than using a tap to "sugar" the tree. There seems to be any number of trees that can be sugared, that is tapped,....
This was so interesting a little complicated...I had to read it a couple times to get it in my head...but so interesting...I didn't or had not ever heard of how we get the date for Easter and I am Catholic. Thank you very much.
What about those of us who live in the other hemisphere p!?
We鈥檙e heading into autumn (or fall I believe you folk call it)- how does this full moon relate!?
How do the names of the full moons relate to us here, or are they, like many of our experiences- 鈥榦pposite鈥!?
Or is there a completely seperate list for the land down under!? :) :)
I鈥檇 really love to know!
Thanks
Fiona :)
Hi Fiona, That’s a very interesting question! I think it’s a first for us.The Old Farmer’s 蜜桃恋人 is a North American publication founded in 1792 when George Washington was president, so our Moon names come from a history of Colonialism and Europe heritage as well as the Native American influence.
So, it may be interesting to look at your early culture and especially consider the native peoples. Also, many of the Moon names are based on what’s happening in nature so you would want to look at some of the natural biological cycles in your region. I’m sure you have different plants and animals and weather!
Then again, you’re welcome to borrow the same names but 鈥渞everse鈥 them. For example, if the Harvest Moon is nearest the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, then you could call your March Moon (nearest the vernal equinox) the Harvest Moon.
Keep in mind that many Moon names do not apply to all of the U.S. regions either since we immigrated from Britain and Europe and also first settled in the Northeast. For example, we call the June Moon the 鈥淪trawberry Moon鈥 because early Americans harvested in June; however, people in the Southern U.S. will have already harvested in February. It’s just a nod to our heritage. And it’s a fun way to think about the lunar calendar!
Maple Sap Trees; Birch Trees; "Maple Sap produces Maple Syrup; Birch Trees = Birch Syrup;
I have not "tested" Birch Syrup yet; Maple Syrup is an excellent natural healthy sweetener:
