Last 'Blue Moon' of 2018 Rises Tonight! What to Expect

An airplane flies in front of the Blue Moon of Jan. 31, 2015. A Blue Moon does not actually appear blue; the term refers to the second full moon in a calendar month. The Blue Moon on March 31 will be the second Blue Moon of 2018 and the last one until Oct. 31, 2020.

Credit: Joel Kowsky/NASA

oday's full moon, which is the first full moon of spring, is also known as a "Paschal Moon," which is the full moon right before Easter Sunday. It has also been nicknamed the "Sap Moon" by Native American tribes "as it marks the time when maple sap begins to flow and the annual tapping of maple trees begins," according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. 

Today, the moon will reach its fullest phase at 8:37 a.m. EDT (1237 GMT). For viewers in the eastern United States, the moon will be below the horizon at this time, while those on the West Coast will be able to see it early in the morning. 

If the full moon is below the horizon from your location, don't worry. It will still look full when it rises again later in the evening. You can find out exactly when the moon rises and sets at your location with this calculator at timeanddate.com. 

If you can't see the Blue Moon for yourself, you can tune into a webcast from Slooh's online observatory, which will feature live views of the Blue Moon and commentary from Slooh astronomers. 

Editor's note: If you capture an amazing photo or video of the Blue Moon and would like to share it with Space.com for a story or gallery, send images and comments to spacephotos@space.com. 

Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.

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