A full worm moon will rise in the morning sky on Tuesday, marking the last full moon of astronomical winter and paving the way for spring in some parts of the world.
Its nickname comes from Native Americans, who discovered that it appeared when the soil in northern latitudes began to soften, allowing earthworms to appear.
Earth’s natural satellite will peak at 7:40 a.m. ET, shining brightly for skygazers in North America, who will also see it through Wednesday morning.
As winter draws to a close, spring sets in and the periods of sunlight get longer and longer — it shouldn’t get dark until 6:07 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
A full worm moon is expected to peak at 7:40 a.m. ET, shining brightly for skygazers across North America, who will also see it through Wednesday morning. Pictured is a full worm moon over New York City in 2020
“The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon,” according to The Farmer’s Almanac. “Their names were applied to the entire month in which they occurred.”
‘At this time of year, the ground begins to soften enough for earthworms to reappear, inviting robins and other birds to feed—a true sign of spring. Roots begin to work their way up through the soil and the earth experiences a rebirth as it wakes from hibernation.’
The Maine Farmers Almanac began publishing Native American names for full moons in the 1930s and these names are now widely known and used.
According to this almanac, the tribes of the northeastern United States called this during the full moon in March the Crow, Crust, Juice, Sugar, or Worm Moon.
Other northern names included the Crust Moon because the snow cover crusted by thawing during the day and freezing at night, or the Sap (or Sugar) Moon because this was the time for maple trees to tap.
The more southern tribes called this the Worm Moon after the earthworms that appeared when the ground thawed.
“It makes sense that only the southern tribes called this the Worm Moon,” he said NASA.
“When glaciers covered the northern part of North America, they wiped out native earthworms.
Its nickname comes from Native Americans, who discovered that it appeared when the soil in northern latitudes began to soften, allowing earthworms to appear. Pictured is a full worm moon in 2020 as it hung in the morning sky over New York City
‘After these glaciers melted about 12,000 years ago, the more northerly forests grew again without earthworms. Most earthworms in these areas are invasive species introduced from Europe and Asia.’
While the moon is full, everyone will sleep less, but women have a more dramatic drop in REM sleep — rapid eye-movement sleep, during which we dream.
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And there is a spike in REM sleep for men during a full moon.
The full moon can also knock our appetites out of whack.
During deep sleep, we produce more of a hormone called leptin, which helps us feel full and satisfied. Meanwhile, ghrelin drops, which has the opposite, hunger-inducing effect.
And then our moods are affected by a full moon.
A biologist found in his research that his bipolar patients’ mood swings corresponded to the lunar calendar and he thinks this may be due to tidal pulls acting on the human body.
Significant events in the lunar cycle, such as a full moon, can cause marked mood swings, making us more susceptible to snacking when we reach for a sweet treat to lift our spirits.
Mike Hardman, marketing manager at Alliance Online, said in a statement: “Overall, there is still a lot of research to be done on the relationship between humans and the moon, and the effect it has on our appetites is no exception.
“However, there are several studies that suggest that a full moon can disrupt sleep, which can make you hungry.”
So if you find yourself tossing and turning around this time of the month and reaching for the snacks, the full moon could be to blame.
“If you often get the urge to snack late at night around this time, try to avoid sugary foods or caffeinated treats like chocolate, as these can keep you awake even longer.”
Instead, go for snacks like nuts, berries, or whole-wheat toast. These will fill you up without disrupting your sleep cycle.”
