The March full moon is here, and will light up the night sky above the UK tonight.
This is the third full moon of the year with stargazers in the UK hoping for clear skies despite a snowy outlook.
This one is called the ‘Worm Moon’, in relation to the earthworms that emerge towards the beginning of spring as the ground thaws.
Although the full moon in March has come to be known as the Worm Moon, there are a number of other names for it. You may hear it referred to as the Crow Moon, Sap Moon, Crust Moon, Lenten Moon and Wind Moon.
Full Worm Moon 2023: When is the best time to see it?
The full moon is set to peak at 12.40pm in the UK, according to the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.
While that’s an odd time to go sky gazing, the full moon will be most visible in the early hours of Tuesday, as well as later that evening.
If the skies are clear, there won’t be any problems in locating the moon in the night sky tonight – it’s the biggest, brightest thing up there.
You’ll be able to see it throughout the night, but the best time to see it will be in the early hours of tomorrow morning, when the night sky is at its darkest. This is when you should be getting out the camera for the best shots.
The good thing about full moons is there’s one every month and the next one will be on 6 April at 5.34 am.
You can also catch the Full Worm Moon rise in a free webcast. The Virtual Telescope project will show the Full Worm Moon shining over Rome on Tuesday at 6.30 pm local time.
The moon will be in the constellation Virgo and will be visible in the webcast via a robotic telescope.
The moon will joined in the night sky by Venus, Jupiter, and Mars. Venus and Jupiter just completed their closest approach in a decade, but are still very close to each other.
You can watch live via the project’s website or YouTube channel.
Top tips to see the Worm Moon 2023
Get up high!
The further up you are, the better your chance of a clear sky to see the stars.
Take a hike in your local area and explore the surroundings to find the perfect stargazing spot!
The further you are away from light pollution the better chance you’ll have of seeing the stars. Moons always rise in the east and set in the west – so follow this direction in your search.
Turn off the lights
For those stargazing from the comfort of their homes, turning off the lights indoors can improve the visibility of the night sky, so long as you’re not afraid of the dark!
Artificial light can make it harder to see stars in the sky so make sure wherever you are is as dark as possible.
Choose a night with clear skies
Choose a night when clear skies are expected for the best chances of seeing the stars.
While the Worm Moon officially appears on Sunday night, it will look big and full on the nights either side of that date.
Research what you’re looking at
Enhance the stargazing experience and download Star Chart free on AR enabled Apple or Android devices.
Star Chart allows you to point the camera at the night sky and will tell you exactly what is up there!
Use the Time and Date website for the best chance of spotting the planets!
Timeanddate.com allows you to input your location, before generating information about when the planets are most visible!
With lots of helpful information about what’s in the universe, this is a great way to educate the family about the wonders of space.
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