Full Moon February 2026: Snow Moon peaks Feb. 1, still looks full tonight
Skywatchers looking for the full moon February 2026 Snow Moon got the peak on Sunday, Feb. 1, but the moon will still look essentially full for a couple of nights around that moment. That timing is why searches like “full moon tonight,” “is tonight a full moon,” and “moon tonight” tend to spike even after the exact peak has passed.
Here’s the clean rundown for Feb. 2, 2026 (ET), plus what’s coming next on the lunar calendar.
When is the February 2026 full moon?
The Snow Moon reached full illumination on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, at 5:09 p.m. ET. Many people experienced it as an evening event because the moon rose that night appearing very close to full, even though the exact peak happened earlier.
A quick way to think about it: the “peak” is a precise moment on a clock, but the “full moon look” is a visual window that spans multiple nights.
| Event | Date | Time (ET) | What you’ll see |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Moon (Snow Moon peak) | Feb. 1, 2026 | 5:09 p.m. | Full illumination moment |
| “Looks full” window | Feb. 1–2 | Evening hours | Moon appears full to most eyes |
| Last Quarter | Feb. 9, 2026 | Afternoon | Half-lit, morning sky favorite |
| New Moon | Feb. 17, 2026 | Afternoon | Dark skies for stargazing |
Is tonight a full moon?
For Monday night, Feb. 2 (ET): technically, no. The moon is now a waning gibbous phase. Visually, though, it will still read as “full” for many observers—bright, round, and dominant—because the change from 100% illumination to “just under full” is subtle.
That’s why “full moon tonight snow moon” is a very normal question the day after the peak. If you missed the exact timing on Sunday, you can still get the classic big-bright-moon experience tonight, weather permitting.
Why it’s called the Snow Moon
“Snow Moon” is the traditional nickname for February’s full moon in North America, tied to midwinter conditions and the tendency for heavy snowfall during this period. The name doesn’t mean snow is required where you live; it’s more of a seasonal label that stuck over time.
In other traditions, February’s full moon has also been associated with tough winter hunting conditions and harsh weather—different names, same idea: this is the heart of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
When is the next full moon?
If you’re searching “when is the next full moon,” the next one after the Snow Moon is the March 2026 full moon on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at 6:38 a.m. ET.
That one is commonly called the Worm Moon. Even though the peak is in the morning, the moon will look full the night before and the night after for many viewers, just like February’s did.
What planet is next to the moon tonight?
This is the trickiest question because it depends heavily on where you are and what time you’re looking. For much of the U.S. and Canada on Feb. 2, the brightest “companion” close to the moon is often not a planet at all, but the bright star Regulus in the constellation Leo. It can sit close enough to the moon that it looks like a pairing, and in some locations the moon can even pass in front of it.
If you’re seeing a bright point and wondering “planet or star,” a useful rule of thumb is steadiness: planets tend to shine more steadily, while stars twinkle more noticeably—especially when they’re low in the sky.
As for actual bright planets in the evening sky right now, Jupiter is prominent and Saturn can be lower and closer to the sunset glow, but neither is guaranteed to be right next to the moon tonight from every location. If your “planet next to the moon” looks extremely close, there’s a good chance it’s Regulus.
Sources consulted: Time and Date; The Old Farmer’s Almanac; EarthSky; Royal Museums Greenwich
