By MOOK Scenic Spots Family, compiled and reported
Next Tuesday is the Lantern Festival, which will usher in the first full moon of the lunar new year and herald the arrival of spring. The Taipei Astronomical Museum reports that the largest full moon of the year will appear at 11:54 PM on February 19, the night of the Lantern Festival—a rare celestial event that happens only once a century. Miss it this time, and you'll have to wait until 2081 for the next one.
This year’s Lantern Festival coincides with the biggest full moon in a century. (Photo / Taipei Astronomical Museum)
The Taipei Astronomical Museum notes that while the Lantern Festival always falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month, the timing of the full moon can vary between the 14th and 17th. Therefore, a full moon isn’t guaranteed on the exact day of the Lantern Festival.
It's the first time since the 20th century that the Lantern Festival has coincided with a full moon, and the next such occurrence may not happen until 2081.
Additionally, the moon orbits the Earth in an elliptical path, sometimes closer and sometimes farther away. Even if there is a full moon on the Lantern Festival, it must also be the closest full moon to Earth all year to be considered the biggest.
The romantic and enchanting glow of the moon is always captivating. (Photo / wired)
On the night of the Lantern Festival, the moon will rise at 5:29 PM from the northeast, reaching full illumination near midnight. Moon-gazers won’t need any special equipment—the century’s rarest full moon will be visible to the naked eye.
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