Ithilgore
February 7th, 2005, 12:45 PM
The February 2005 Moon
Each full moon has its own name and unique seasonal aspects associated with the wheel of the year, and is celebrated in the esbat ritual. The name given to each moon applies to the whole cycle of the moon, from its dark beginning to its dark ending. The full moon of February is known as the Snow Moon, this moon begins on February 8 and ends on March 10. This moon is also known under many other names, some of which are given below.
February Moon Names
Ice (Celtic).
Old Moon (Cree).
Gray Moon (Pima).
Wind Moon (Creek).
Winter Moon (Taos).
Nuts Moon (Natchez).
Avunnivik Moon (Inuit).
Geese Moon (Omaha).
Bony Moon (Cherokee).
Purification Moon (Hopi).
Little bud Moon (Kiowa).
Snow Moon (Neo-Pagan).
Lateness Moon (Mohawk).
Shoulder Moon (Wishram).
Rabbit Moon (Potawatomi).
Sucker Moon (Anishnaabe).
Long Dry Moon (Assiniboine).
Little Famine Moon (Choctaw).
Storm Moon (Medieval English).
Sparkling Frost Moon (Arapaho).
Running Fish Moon (Winnebago).
Coyote Frighten Moon (San Juan).
Spruce Tips Moon (Passamaquoddy).
Raccoon Moon, Trees Pop Moon (Sioux).
Hunger Moon : Dark, Storm Moon : Full (Janic).
Snow Moon, Hunger Moon, Trapper’s Moon (Algonquin).
Other moon names : Wolf Moon, Wild Moon, Quickening Moon, Solmonath Moon, Chaste Moon, Horning Moon, Red Moon, Big Winter Moon, Cleansing Moon.
February Moon Phase Times
The moon cycle begins with the dark moon on February 8 at 10:28 pm GMT.
The first quarter moon is on February 16 at 00:16 am GMT.
The full moon is on February 24 at 4:54 am GMT.
The last quarter moon is on March 3 at 5:36 pm GMT.
The moon cycle ends with the dark moon on March 10 at 9:10 am GMT.
Jupiter
On February 8 at about 1am, Jupiter can be seen rising in the SE, it is just above the bright star Spica in Virgo. It will have a brightness magnitude of -2.2, much brighter than that of Spica.
Saturn
At midnight on February 8, Saturn can be seen high in the SW just below and to the left of the stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation of Gemini. It is much brighter than the two stars.
Festivals
Imbolc
On the eve of February 2
Wheel direction : Northeast
Incense : any earthly incense
Flowers : Snowdrop, Lesser Celendines
Pronounced: im-bolk
February holds the sabbat of Imbolc, which Celebrates the awakening of the earth, preparing the way for spring, marking the change from the old to the new, to celebrate things that are yet to be. It is a time to acknowledge the waxing Sun’s light, to sow seeds of that which will come to be. It is also a time of the rebirth of the Goddess upon the land and in hearts and minds, a time of purification, cleaning away the old, and making way for the new to come.
Nature Spirits
The nature spirits associated with the Snow Moon include the house faeries and the snow faeries, and some flower faeries
February Flowers
Wild flowers associated with Imbolc are the yellow flowers of the Lesser Celandine, which are now just starting to come into bloom. The first of the Celandine flowers I usually find are along the banks of a nearby stream, where they are sheltered from the frosts and cold winds. By the next month such flowers will also be found within the woods and along the edges of the meadows.
The Lesser Celandine is a member of the buttercup family, and looks a bit like a buttercup, but with ivy like leaves. Unlike the buttercup, in cloudy weather the celendine will close up its flower head. In fact it does not usually open its petals up until about 9am, and then closes by 5pm, a true 9 till 5 plant.
The celendine was also the favourite flower of Wordsworth, its blossoms are carved onto his tomb. It should not be confused with the Greater Celendine (which is a member of the poppy family), which has a much smaller flower, but is a bigger plant. Wordsworth said the following of the celendine, which describes it well.
Comfort have thou of thy merit,
Kindly, unassuming Spirit!
Careless of thy neighbourhood,
Thou dost show thy pleasant face
On the moor, and in the wood,
In the lane;--there's not a place,
Howsoever mean it be,
But 'tis good enough for thee.
Merry part and brightest blessings
Ithilgore (Philip)
_wiz_
Each full moon has its own name and unique seasonal aspects associated with the wheel of the year, and is celebrated in the esbat ritual. The name given to each moon applies to the whole cycle of the moon, from its dark beginning to its dark ending. The full moon of February is known as the Snow Moon, this moon begins on February 8 and ends on March 10. This moon is also known under many other names, some of which are given below.
February Moon Names
Ice (Celtic).
Old Moon (Cree).
Gray Moon (Pima).
Wind Moon (Creek).
Winter Moon (Taos).
Nuts Moon (Natchez).
Avunnivik Moon (Inuit).
Geese Moon (Omaha).
Bony Moon (Cherokee).
Purification Moon (Hopi).
Little bud Moon (Kiowa).
Snow Moon (Neo-Pagan).
Lateness Moon (Mohawk).
Shoulder Moon (Wishram).
Rabbit Moon (Potawatomi).
Sucker Moon (Anishnaabe).
Long Dry Moon (Assiniboine).
Little Famine Moon (Choctaw).
Storm Moon (Medieval English).
Sparkling Frost Moon (Arapaho).
Running Fish Moon (Winnebago).
Coyote Frighten Moon (San Juan).
Spruce Tips Moon (Passamaquoddy).
Raccoon Moon, Trees Pop Moon (Sioux).
Hunger Moon : Dark, Storm Moon : Full (Janic).
Snow Moon, Hunger Moon, Trapper’s Moon (Algonquin).
Other moon names : Wolf Moon, Wild Moon, Quickening Moon, Solmonath Moon, Chaste Moon, Horning Moon, Red Moon, Big Winter Moon, Cleansing Moon.
February Moon Phase Times
The moon cycle begins with the dark moon on February 8 at 10:28 pm GMT.
The first quarter moon is on February 16 at 00:16 am GMT.
The full moon is on February 24 at 4:54 am GMT.
The last quarter moon is on March 3 at 5:36 pm GMT.
The moon cycle ends with the dark moon on March 10 at 9:10 am GMT.
Jupiter
On February 8 at about 1am, Jupiter can be seen rising in the SE, it is just above the bright star Spica in Virgo. It will have a brightness magnitude of -2.2, much brighter than that of Spica.
Saturn
At midnight on February 8, Saturn can be seen high in the SW just below and to the left of the stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation of Gemini. It is much brighter than the two stars.
Festivals
Imbolc
On the eve of February 2
Wheel direction : Northeast
Incense : any earthly incense
Flowers : Snowdrop, Lesser Celendines
Pronounced: im-bolk
February holds the sabbat of Imbolc, which Celebrates the awakening of the earth, preparing the way for spring, marking the change from the old to the new, to celebrate things that are yet to be. It is a time to acknowledge the waxing Sun’s light, to sow seeds of that which will come to be. It is also a time of the rebirth of the Goddess upon the land and in hearts and minds, a time of purification, cleaning away the old, and making way for the new to come.
Nature Spirits
The nature spirits associated with the Snow Moon include the house faeries and the snow faeries, and some flower faeries
February Flowers
Wild flowers associated with Imbolc are the yellow flowers of the Lesser Celandine, which are now just starting to come into bloom. The first of the Celandine flowers I usually find are along the banks of a nearby stream, where they are sheltered from the frosts and cold winds. By the next month such flowers will also be found within the woods and along the edges of the meadows.
The Lesser Celandine is a member of the buttercup family, and looks a bit like a buttercup, but with ivy like leaves. Unlike the buttercup, in cloudy weather the celendine will close up its flower head. In fact it does not usually open its petals up until about 9am, and then closes by 5pm, a true 9 till 5 plant.
The celendine was also the favourite flower of Wordsworth, its blossoms are carved onto his tomb. It should not be confused with the Greater Celendine (which is a member of the poppy family), which has a much smaller flower, but is a bigger plant. Wordsworth said the following of the celendine, which describes it well.
Comfort have thou of thy merit,
Kindly, unassuming Spirit!
Careless of thy neighbourhood,
Thou dost show thy pleasant face
On the moor, and in the wood,
In the lane;--there's not a place,
Howsoever mean it be,
But 'tis good enough for thee.
Merry part and brightest blessings
Ithilgore (Philip)
_wiz_