Spring Equinox & super moon

For the first time in nineteen years the final super moon of the year also falls on Spring Equinox. Sky gazers will be treated to this vernal event dubbed, Super Worm Moon. 

This ancient name derives from Native American tradition. Also called the Sap Moon because it is the time to tap the maples for their sap.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac reports that the full moon in March is always known as the worm moon because it marks the time of year when earthworms begin to come out in the soil.

As the temperatures begin to rise, the snow melts, the earth softens and becomes mud. Worms begin to crawl in the ground, heralding the return of birds that will feed on them.

Since the full Moon and the vernal equinox both fall on March 20 this year (in North America, at least), you might expect that Easter Sunday would be on the following Sunday, March 24.

However, for simplicity’s sake, the Catholics set a fixed date for the equinox - March 21. They do not rely on the date of the astronomical full moon but instead use their ecclesiastical lunar calendar which occurs on the 14th day of the month.

The date of the ecclesiastical full moon then falls one to two days before the astronomical full moon. By their calculation, because the first full moon after March 21 doesn’t occur until April 19 this year, Easter Sunday 2019 falls on Sunday, April 21.

At 3:45 p.m. ET (19:45 UT) on March 19, the moon will be a mere 223,309 miles away from our planet, making for an especially close perigee.

A full moon has not occurred this close to the first day of spring in nineteen years and the two events won’t coincide again until 2030.