Insider Blog: Snow Moon and Micromoon coincide tonight

Mid-Missouri will see a bright Full Moon tonight but it may still appear somewhat dimmer than usual. Tonight will be the annual Snow Moon as the Moon reaches its full phase in February, typically the coldest part of the year. But a Micromoon event will also occur at the same time, making the Moon appear dimmer and smaller.

Micromoons are related to the more commonly known Supermoons, which both describe two extremes of the Moon's apparent size. Supermoons are more captivating as they appear brighter and bigger in the night sky as the Earth and Moon are at their closest. On the other hand, Micromoons occur when the Moon is at apogee, its furthest point from Earth. This causes the Moon to appear dimmer and smaller even at the Full Moon phase.

Tonight's Micromoon is also related to other coinciding events later this year. A total solar eclipse that will pass over North America, including the Missouri bootheel, will also occur at the same time as the moon is at its largest. This Supermoon and total eclipse convergence will occur on April 8th this year so set your calendars!