How to see March’s full moon in the UK this week

Did you know that each month’s full moon has its own name? If you looked up in early January, you would have seen the ‘wolf moon’, while February’s was sweetly named the ‘snow moon’. Later in the year, the ‘strawberry’ and ‘harvest’ moons will light up our skies.

They’re all pretty poetic labels. But this month, we will be greeted by the slightly less romantically titled ‘worm moon’. Here’s how you can see northern hemisphere’s final full moon of winter. 

Why is March’s full moon called a worm moon? 

The name is thought to have originated among native American tribes and refers to the earthworms that wriggle to the surface as soil temperatures gradually rise. This month’s full moon is also known as the Lenten Moon, which comes from the Anglo-Saxons and means ‘spring moon’. 

What’s the best time to see the full moon?

The moon will reach peak illumination at 12.42pm on Tuesday, March 7, according to Greenwich’s Royal Observatory.

When is the next full moon?

After the worm moon, the next full moon in the lunar cycle will be on Thursday, April 6. This one is named the ‘Pink Moon’ after the pink blooms that emerge in spring.

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