When are the 2024 Supermoons? Moon Dates to Mark in Your Calendar This Year
Each year, the moon brings us unique and powerful events that resonate deeply with our history and lives. As we step into 2024, certain lunar events stand out, promising to bring a blend of energy, reflection, and transformation.
This year, we are gifted with four Supermoons, each offering its own unique symbolism and opportunity for growth.
Alongside these, the Harvest Moon and Hunter's Moon punctuate the later months with their timeless significance.
This blog post aims to guide you through these important lunar dates, unraveling their meanings and influences.
What is a Supermoon?
The Supermoons of 2024 are not just astronomical phenomena but hold cultural and spiritual significance. A Supermoon happens when the full moon coincides with its closest approach to Earth in its orbit, making it appear larger and brighter in our sky.
Each of these Supermoons carries its own lore and legend, deeply rooted in various traditions and beliefs. From the Snow Moon (symbolising purity and the glimmer of new beginnings), to the Flower Moon (symbolising the bloom of creativity and fruition), each of these moons invite us to align with their cycles, reflecting on our paths and intentions.
What are Harvest and Hunter Moon’s?
As the year progresses, we witness the Harvest and Hunter Moons, which are both deeply embedded in agricultural and hunter-gatherer societies and mark the rhythm of Earth's bounty and the preparations for the coming winter.
The Harvest Moon provides an extended twilight, a time-honored aid for farmers reaping their crops. The Hunter's Moon follows, traditionally seen as the time to stockpile provisions for the colder months ahead.
Both these moons offer a moment to contemplate our personal harvests – what we have grown and gathered throughout the year – and to prepare ourselves for the future.
Keep reading to delve further into each of these significant lunar events, and explore their historical and cultural backgrounds. We’ll also offering insights into how we might harness their energies in our lives.
Important 2024 Moon Dates to Note
February 24 - Snow Moon
This Supermoon, also known as the Snow Moon, falls on Valentine's Day, adding a touch of romantic luminescence to the evening.
Traditionally, this moon marked the time of deepest snow in many Northern Hemisphere regions. Native American tribes, particularly in the northeastern parts of North America, used this moon as a calendar reference, noting the scarcity of food during this harsh winter period.
The Snow Moon symbolises endurance, resilience, and the stark beauty of the landscape under snow.
Its occurrence on Valentine’s Day in 2024 lends it a unique blend of romanticism and fortitude, reminding us of the warmth of human connection in the coldest of times.
March 25 - Worm Moon
March's Supermoon, or Worm Moon, signifies the onset of spring, and symbolises rebirth and renewal. It is a time to embrace change and growth, reflecting the awakening of nature.
Given the change in weather experienced around this Supermoon, the Worm Moon has traditionally been a time for communities to celebrate the rebirth of nature. This moon is therefore deeply embedded in various agricultural practices and folklore. The name “Worm Moon” comes from the fact that through history, earthworms would reappear in the soil around its appearance - signifying the ground becoming fertile again.
The Worm Moon is a time of awakening, not just of the earth but of human aspirations and dreams, symbolizing new beginnings and the fertile ground for growth and development.
April 23 - Pink Moon
The Pink Moon, gracing the skies in April, does not owe its name to its colour but to the blooming wildflowers of spring.
This moon is deeply connected with the spring season, symbolising the abundance of life and the beauty of nature in full renewal. It's a time historically associated with planting and the sowing of seeds, both literal and metaphorical, encouraging us to start new projects or breathe new life into existing ones.
This moon represents blossoming and fertility, making it a perfect time for starting new projects or nurturing existing ones.
May 23 - Flower Moon
May's Flower Moon celebrates the abundance of flowers during this time of the year. It's a period of heightened creativity and productivity, urging us to appreciate nature's beauty and the fertility of the Earth.
This moon has been celebrated throughout history as a time of increased fertility, with the earth in full bloom and the promise of a fruitful harvest. Cultures across the globe have associated this period with festivals and ceremonies to celebrate the fullness and beauty of life.
The Flower Moon symbolises growth, abundance, and the nurturing of creative endeavours, marking a period where nature and human activity are in harmonious collaboration.
It's a period of heightened creativity and productivity, urging us to appreciate nature's beauty and the fertility of the Earth.
June 21 - Strawberry Moon
June’s Strawberry Moon carries with it a rich tapestry of historical significance and cultural lore, particularly evident in the traditions of Native American tribes.
Named by the Algonquin tribes of North America, the Strawberry Moon marks the short (but sweet) strawberry picking season. This full moon was seen as a signal by these indigenous peoples to gather ripening strawberries, an important time in their calendar as it heralded the beginning of the summer fruit harvest.
The strawberry, a symbol of fertility and renewal, was celebrated not only for its practical sustenance but also for its cultural significance in various ceremonies and stories. The Strawberry Moon therefore represents a time of abundance, growth, and the nurturing aspects of nature.
The full moon in June is typically the last full moon of spring or the first of the summer, and it aligns closely with the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, which imbues it with a sense of culmination and the peak of the solar cycle.
This confluence of the full moon and solstice makes the Strawberry Moon a time of brightness and illumination, both literally and symbolically.
It's a period celebrated for its light and warmth, seen as a time to gather and rejoice in the gifts of nature, and to acknowledge the passing of time as one season gracefully gives way to the next.
Supermoons in 2024
Harvest Moon - September 6:
Traditionally, the Harvest Moon is the closest full moon to the autumn equinox, marking a crucial time in the farming calendar. Historically, before the advent of electric lighting, the Harvest Moon was essential for farmers allowed them to work late into the night under its bright light, gathering crops to prepare for winter.
This moon has been celebrated in various cultures for its symbolism of abundance, hard work, and the fruition of efforts made throughout the year.
The Harvest Moon is a time for gratitude, celebrating hard work, and the reaping of benefits from efforts made earlier in the year.
Hunter's Moon - October 6:
Following the Harvest Moon, the Hunter's Moon provided light for hunters to stock up on game for the winter months.
In times past, this moon was a signal for villagers and tribes to begin hunting, in order to stock up on meat for the long winter ahead. The Hunter's Moon typically appears in October, when the deer and other game are fattened, and the harvested fields have become hunting grounds. The brightness and the timing of the moonrise, which occurs shortly after sunset, provided extra light for hunters to track their prey.
Beyond its practical implications, the Hunter's Moon also holds a symbolic meaning, representing the need for preparation and provision. It's a reminder of the importance of planning and resourcefulness, qualities that were essential for survival in earlier times and remain relevant in various aspects of modern life.
Each of these lunar events in 2024 offers a unique perspective and energy, encouraging us to align our activities with the moon's phases.
As we journey through the year, let's embrace the lessons and symbolism each moon brings.
Learn about more Moon events in 2024:
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