Full Worm Moon shines in UK skies

Full Worm Moon shines in UK skies By Simon King Lead Weather Presenter Published 14 minutes ago Comments 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. 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. Why do full Moons have names? Published 13 March 2025 Rare 'Blood Moon' for some 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? 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 Ap...