This month’s full moon lands on Sunday 28th February.
The full moon is a lunar phase that occurs when the moon is in opposition with the sun. The moon and sun are on opposite sides of the earth, so the ‘face’, or hemisphere of the moon that faces the earth, is almost fully illuminated and appears round. This is the only time when the far side of the moon, the side we cannot see, is fully ‘in the dark’.
There are approximately 29.53 days between similar lunar phases. Therefore, it is said that the ‘lunar month’ is roughly 29 or 30 days long.
There is a lot of folklore surrounding full moons. They are traditionally associated with temporal insomnia and insanity. This is where the terms lunacy and lunatic have derived from. Psychologists however have found no strong evidence to connect the effects on human behavior at that time of the month with the full moon. A study was carried out in both England and Australia into the admission of dog bite victims at the time of the full moon. In England, it was shown that dog bites were twice as common during the full moon than other times, but in Australia it was noted that they were less likely.
Werewolves are thought to be mythical creatures associated with the full moon. They are also known as lycanthropes and are humans that shape-shift into wolf-like creatures at the time of the full moon. It is thought that people become werewolves by being bitten or purposefully scratched by other werewolves, or perhaps by being cursed. They are attributed with super-human strength and senses, beyond that of both man and wolf.
The full moon also has religious representations. Many neopagans, such as Wiccans, hold a monthly ritual on the night of the full moon called an Esbat. It is thought that magical powers are at a climax at this time, allowing the practice of divination, healing works, and spell casting. Traditional Chinese religions also have the practice of ritual offerings to ancestors and deities on every full and new moon.
Popularity: 1% [?]
