One of the best things about winter full Moons is that you don't have to rise too early from your bed to catch them in the morning before sunrise.
This weekend we'll see a beautiful full Moon visible in the evening, but also the morning sky, and that late winter dawn means it's not too much of a stretch to rise out of our beds to see it.
I'll be getting up early on Saturday and Sunday morning to catch the Snow Moon as it's setting towards the western horizon, and my 5-year-old son has made me promise to wake him and bring him with me.
The need for sleep
The short-lived tradition began with the first full Moon of 2026, which rose on the first weekend of January, as the Christmas holidays were coming to an end.
It had been a relaxing Christmas, and the need to get back into some semblance of a routine was weighing heavily as the return to school approached.
An early-morning walk through our village to catch the January full Moon felt like just the thing, to tire everyone out for the early bedtimes ahead.
I rose before 6am, got myself and my son ready, wrapped up and fed a quick snack, then we headed out.
Snow lay on the ground and the full Moon was low in west, visible just above the rooftops.
The rest of the sky was clear and dark, and even despite the streetlights we could easily see Jupiter close to the full Moon and other bright stars in the sky.
I pointed out Jupiter and the Moon to my son, and we talked about what it would be like to land on the Moon, or fly in a spaceship to visit the gas giant planet.
We trudged through the snow, discussing what sort of aliens might live on a planet like Jupiter, and noticed how the Moon seemed to be following us on our journey.
It was there as we passed the play park, still there as we passed the pub and greengrocer's, and was even sitting majestically above our house as we turned onto our street and approached the front door.
We got in, put some coffee on and switched on BBC radio, only to find the station was inundated with messages from other listeners who had just had the same experience as us.
It seemed people all across the country had woken early and looked out to see that same full Moon, big bright and beautiful. The night sky is truly something that connects us all.
And yet, it often feels like the Moon is something we take for granted.
Many seasoned astronomers bemoan the full Moon because it washes out the rest of the night sky, making deep-sky objects or meteor showers difficult to observe and photograph.
For non-astronomers, the Moon may become something that's not even noticed. It's taken as a constant presence in the sky, and something we forget to stop and admire.
Personally, I love a full Moon. It's one of the most beautiful spectacles in nature, yet very easy for a young child to see and understand.
It certainly makes rising early and heading out on a wintery Saturday morning before sunrise a much more relishing prospect.
More on observing the Moon
Seeing the Snow Moon
This weekend, 31 January–1 February, the full Moon will be visible in the east as the Sun is setting, and then visible in the west as the Sun is rising.
The February full Moon is known by many as the Snow Moon, a reminder of the historical, cultural importance of the full Moon to our ancestors, who nick-named each monthly full Moon according to key events in nature during the month in question.
I think this connection with nature is something we appreciate more as we get older and life gets quicker, and it's an important thing to instil in each new generation.
After all, February could see the launch of NASA's Artemis II mission, which will see human beings return to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo missions.
It's a great time to be a fan of the Moon, and a great time to get my son passionate about the night sky.
That's why this weekend I'll be setting my alarm extra early, and why I hope you do too.
If you do observe or photograph the Moon this weekend, share your adventures and images with us by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com
