Full Worm Moon shines in UK skies

photo of the full moon on Tuesday morning rising next to a craneImage source, BBC Weather Watchers / Frances B
Image caption,

The full Worm Moon rising in the skies above London on Monday night

BySimon King
Lead Weather Presenter

The first full Moon of the spring - known as the 'Worm Moon' rose in the skies across the United Kingdom on Monday night.

For sky watchers in Asia, Australia and parts of the Americas the full moon will coincide with a rare total lunar eclipse which will make the Moon appear red.

Totality will occur at around 11:30 GMT which means it will not be visible in the UK.

The Moon will still appear full on Tuesday night into Wednesday and with lots of clear skies forecast, there'll be another opportunity to see it.

image of the full moonImage source, BBC Weather Watchers / Coastal JJ
Image caption,

BBC Weather Watchers sent us lots of their pictures of the full Moon on Monday night

Full Moons have names that date back to ancient traditions before modern calendars were used.

They were helpful ways to mark the changing seasons and the names tended to relate to significant timely events.

The March full Moon is known as the Worm Moon as it refers to when earthworms start to emerge from the soil as the weather warms in springtime.

Rare 'Blood Moon' for some

image of the full moon with some birds flying in shot in front of the moon.Image source, Getty
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The full Worm Moon rising in New York on Monday night where it will turn a reddish colour with the full lunar eclipse

For some parts of the world, the full Moon will be visible as it undergoes a total lunar eclipse, becoming what is known as a Blood Moon.

A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth moves directly between the Sun and Moon, casting a shadow onto the Moon's surface. During this, the Moon can turn a rusty red colour, which is where it gets it nickname, the Blood Moon.

Those most likely to see the phenomenon include observers in parts of North America, South America, East Asia, and Australia.

The full eclipse starts on Tuesday morning at 11.04 GMT and concludes at 12:02 GMT. It's estimated that almost a third of the world's population will see the total phase.

When can you see the full moon?

image of a horse grazing on grass with a bright full moon rising behindImage source, BBC Weather Watchers / Hang Ross
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BBC Weather Watcher capturing the full Moon rising in Hampshire on Monday evening

The forecast for Tuesday night suggests that while there will be some areas of cloud across England and Wales, there should be plenty of clear spells to see the Worm Moon.

However, if the weather is not on your side this time, the next full Moon will rise on 1 April with the Pink Moon, followed by the Flower Moon on 1 May.

May will also feature a second full Moon on 31 May, known as a Blue Moon. The Blue Moon is so-called because having two full Moons in a single month only happens once every few years, giving rise to the expression "once in a blue Moon."