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Re: (meteorobs) Names of the Full Moons




Hi everyone

Robert was correct in the previous posting in that there do exist
alternate names for the Full Moons used by different cultures and
what-have-you. Here is a more thorough listing.

For each month, they are listed according to the following cultures:

Algonquin/Colonial, Medieval/English, Neo-Pagan, San Juan, Other

Jan:  Old, Wolf, Ice, Ice, Moon after Yule     
Feb:  Hunger, Storm, Snow, Coyote Frighten, -
Mar:  Crust, Chaste, Death, Lizard, Sap/Cow/Lenten
Apr:  Pink, Seed, Awakening, Leaf Split, Grass/Egg
May:  Flower, Hare, Grass, Leaf Tender, Planting/Milk
Jun:  Rose, Dyan, Planting, Leaf Darken, Strawberry/Flower
Jul:  Buck, Mead, Rose, Ripe, Hay/Thunder
Aug:  Sturgeon, Corn, Lightening, Wheat Cut, Grain/Dog Days
Sep:  Harvest, Barley, Harvest, All Ripe, Fruit
Oct:  Hunter's, Blood, Blood, Leaf Fall,-
Nov:  Beaver, Snow, Tree, All Gathered, Frosty
Dec:  Cold/Old, Oak, Long Night, Ashes Fire, Moon before Yule

The names themselves came about in old times, and just by looking at them,
it seems as though they were based on the events of that particular season
for the northern hemisphere.  eg. for April, which is mid Spring, have
seeds awakening from winter, leaves beginning to grow, flowers developing
(hence the pink), etc etc. 

So for January's Wolf Moon, I would suggest that wolves are more
commonplace in the cold of winter. Perhaps whilst on their journeys doing
whatever, the ancient people happened to see more wolves (due to the
illumination provided by the full moon at night) than at any other time of
the year. Hence this could be how the name came about, (and thus act as a
warning for the future?).


Cheers

--

Robert A. Goler        

E-mail robert@neumann.maths.monashdot edu.au
http://www.maths.monashdot edu.au/~robert/

Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Monash University
Clayton, Vic 3168
Australia

--


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