Full Moon Names???

[1ponders] (Paul) · #1 17-04-2006, 03:05 PM

I've had a request from a friend if there are any names for full moons in the southern hemisphere. In the NH they have names like Harvest moon, buck moon, hay moon etc

Are there any similar one for down under?

wavelandscott (Scott) · #2 17-04-2006, 03:41 PM

I can't answer your question...sorry

But, I am also curious...as I grew up in the Northern Hemsiphere I am used to hearing/using this terminology...many came from American Indian associations...i.e. Feast of the Hunter's Moon was a big "time" when trappers/explorers gathered one last time before winter (at least that is the story told near West Lafayette, Indiana) and is still a big deal today as many people gather in period costume to recreate the event...

I've even participated myself as an aide in "courting" my wife...long story that I will summarize with saying zippers were not "allowed" on costumes of the period only buttons or ties...but that is another story...

Would be good to know and SH counterparts...

#3 17-04-2006, 05:31 PM

Yeah, how about "That *@&#! Moon" when I am trying to find DSO's.

Volans · #4 17-04-2006, 08:57 PM

I'm not too sure about Full Moon names originating in the southern hemisphere but I did read about a name for the second New Moon in one calander month. We all know the second Full Moon in one month is called a Blue Moon but what about the second New Moon?....

Ebony Moon...which I quite like.

Here are some suggestions:

Jan: Summer's Moon
Feb: Bushfire Moon
Mar: Changing Moon (changing of the seasons)
Apr: ANZAC Moon
May:
Jun: Middle Moon
Jul: Cool Moon
Aug: Windy Moon
Sep: Spring Moon
Oct:
Nov:
Dec: Wet Moon or Holiday Moon (depending on where in Australia you live)

As you can see, I've left some gaps...any suggestions?

Peter.

acropolite (Phil) · #5 17-04-2006, 09:03 PM

The harvest moon is specific to a time of season. All you want to know here

[1ponders] (Paul) · #6 17-04-2006, 09:04 PM

I like it Peter. Maybe we can start some new tradition here.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #7 17-04-2006, 09:12 PM

Thanks for looking Phil, but what the inquiry was about was moons specifically for the Southern Hemisphere particularly Australian, they already have the Northern Hemisphere ones.

The ones you have linked to are for the USA. There are also Northern European ones, Chinese, Russian, South American and Polynesian. It was an interesting bit of research actually. However, it looks like that one of the few countries that doesn't have names for the moons of different months/seasons/events is Australia.

Gargoyle_Steve (Steve) · #8 18-04-2006, 12:52 AM

To add to a previous post up above - I have previously heard of the 2nd New Moon in a single calendar month being called a "dark moon" instead of ebony, but I don't know the specific geographic origin of that one.

As an aside I saw a truly Blue Moon once, many years ago, as a child - and I mean the moon was BLUE ... it would have been around the early to mid 70's I believe, moon was high in the sky and it was close to dusk, and the moon was a definite blue colour, pale powder blue, not grey, not white.

I have since read that this can happen with specific conditions of high atmosperic dust, etc. Even at that age I knew it was an unusual event and I took a photo of it with my 35mm "toy" camera - which sadly was loaded with B&W film!! Actually, that was my first ever astrophotograph, come to think of it!

Mr Bob · #9 18-04-2006, 03:53 AM

I hear the Australian aboriginie have names for the full moon but arent easily translated.

Sonia · #10 18-04-2006, 03:57 AM

January: Full "Wolf" Moon (American Indian -- from wolf packs roaming in the dead of winter.) Also "After-Yule" or Full "Old" Moon.
February: Full "Snow" or "Storm" Moon (American Indian -- from blizzards at this time of year). Also known as Full "Hunger" Moon.
March: Full "Worm" (American Indian -- from earthworms coming to soil surface during Spring thaw), or "Chaste" Moon. Other names: Full "Crow" Moon, Full "Crust" Moon, Full "Sugar" Moon, Full "Sap" Moon.
April: Full "Pink" or "Seed" Moon (American Indian--from profusion of pink wildflowers). Also "Grass" Moon, "Spring" or "Full Egg" Moon, Full "Fish" Moon.
May: Full "Flower" or "Hare" Moon. Also Full "Corn Planting" Moon, Full "Milk" Moon.
June: Full "Strawberry" or "Dyad" Moon. Other names: Full Rose Moon, Full Hot Moon.
July: Full "Buck" or "Mead" Moon. Also, Thunder (American Indian-from fierce storms common at this time), and Full Hay Moon.
August: Full " Green Corn" Moon, Full "Sturgeon" Moon, Full "Grain" Moon , Full "Red" Moon (American Indian--from the heat and haze of August).
September: Full "Harvest" Moon*. Also, Full Corn Moon, Full Barley Moon.
October: Full "Hunters" or "Blood" Moon (defined as the first full moon following the harvest moon; from hunting practice of riding over the stubble of reaped grain fields pursuing foxes by the light of the moon.); also Full Travel Moon, Full Dying Grass Moon.
November: Full "Beaver" or "Snow" Moon (from the beavers busy building their winter homes). Also, Full Frost Moon.
December: Full "Cold" or "Oak" Moon. Also, Full "Before-Yule" Moon and Full "Long Nights" Moon.

Is this what your looking for?

[1ponders] (Paul) · #11 18-04-2006, 07:34 AM

Thanks Sonia. Again they are all Northern Hemisphere/European/American cultural names (See Acropolites post) .

We Aussies don't seem to have been around long enough to develop a culturally based lunar cycle naming system. Many of the names I've come across are based on names and traditions that can be many hundreds of years old.

fringe_dweller · #12 18-04-2006, 02:14 PM

On reading Peters suggestions I was inspired to wonder what aussies would of called the moons if given enough time in history

here is some suggestions

jan: Beer moon (also called 'Sales' or 'shopping' and Shopping Mall Moon)
feb: Surfing and thongs Moon (see beer Moon)
Mar: Bogan Moon
apr: Beer Moon
may: Beer and Babes Moon
jun: Beery Moon (aka 'full as a boot moon' and *BUUUUURP* or *BELCH* Moon) sometimes recorded as 'Burnout or Donut' Moon"
july: Brass Monkey Moon and
aug: Drunken Koala Moon
sep: Wattle Moon (aka Beer Moon) EDIT: of course! just realised 'FOOTY MOON'!
oct: V8 and Beer Moon
nov: BBQ and 'Cricket' or 'Test' (and Beer) Moon
dec: Beer and Prawns Moon

but seriously I would think the Mayan's history would be the best place to look Paul for southern culture

fringe_dweller · #13 19-04-2006, 01:14 PM

Just had a lightbulb go off!

what if we could sell the rights to naming the full moons to corporations - we do it now all the time. Look at our hallowed sporting grounds, and our favourite teams every inch of their guernseys/hats dripping with logos, I think there are other areas that are like this too.
As astronomers we own the naming rights? haha bear with me here.
Maybe the monies could go towards an army of dobs or dedicated dark site, astronomy only parks in every state!! or sponsoring star parties?
So we could have the AAMI Moon, the Pepsi Moon, McDonalds Happy Meal Moon and so on..
What do you all think?

ving (David) · #14 19-04-2006, 01:21 PM

the only name i know of for a full moon here is The PITA moon

fringe_dweller · #15 19-04-2006, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ving

the only name i know of for a full moon here is The PITA moon

so true
I did suggest somewhere once that it would be nice if NASA or someone on a future moon mission could spray paint the entire moons face with a nice flat black (maybe just send missiles full of paint?) like used in scopes.
But I was met with stony silence??? maybe theres some damn moon hugging greenie worried about the plants/wildlife/turtles/romantic lovers that rely on full moons and other phases - phooey!

fringe_dweller · #16 19-04-2006, 01:39 PM

Ving - Just remembered the moons black as coal already!! its only 6 or 7% reflective as it is, imagine if it was any more reflective

ving (David) · #17 19-04-2006, 01:53 PM

no thanks kearn. i'll pass on that. i think th moon is fine up to about 20% either side of full... after that the name i gave it applies