Full Moon

The coastal flood advisory that has been in effect for parts of the Chesapeake Bay the last two mornings is a result of the full moon and sustained winds, according to the National Weather Service. Tides a foot higher than normal are expected, and have already been seen in lower parts of the bay. The U.S. Naval Academy's first high tide was at 7:47 a.m., Fort McHenry's was at 9 a.m. and Havre de Grace's around noon. High tides are expected again at 7:51 p.m. in Annapolis, 9:26 p.m. at Fort McHenry, 10:18 p.m. at Bowley's Quarters and 12:46 a.m. at Havre de Grace.

Remember the “supermoon” of March 2011? The full moon appeared larger than usual because of its proximity to Earth. This month's full moon, known as the Full Flower Moon, could be almost as spectacular. That's because it will be nearly as close as it was last March. It will be about 250 miles further from Earth than the 221,000 mile-distance it was March 19, 2011. The moon's average distance from Earth is about 239,000 miles, according to EarthSky.org. The full moon arrives at 11:35 p.m. Saturday, within an hour of the moon's perigee.

The Full Pink Moon should be in view all night. Other common names for April's full moon are the Egg Moon, Sprouting Grass Moon or Easter Moon, according to EarthSky.org. Easter Sunday falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. The moon will be flanked to its left by Spica, the brightest star of the constellation Virgo, as well as Saturn as it rises in the east sky.

You may not be able to see it through the rain clouds tonight, but a waning moon just past its fullest is up there. Luckily, I snapped a shot of it last night. The moon was technically "full" at 4:40 a.m. Thursday. It rises at 6:50 p.m. Thursday. March's full moon is known as the Worm Moon or the Sap Moon, for coming as worms begin to slither through softened ground and maple sap begins to run again.

The buzz on the Internet has been all about a scary "super moon" this weekend. Seer Kit Karson, at PsychicCosmos.com writes, "Get ready for what could be moderate to severe weather patterns, increased seismic activity, tsunamis and more volcanic eruptions than normal. " But cooler scientific types say there's no evidence the unusually close full moon that rises Saturday evening will do anything of the sort. It may appear a bit bigger and brighter, they say, but not by much.

T he full moon will rise over Baltimore at 6:20 p.m. Sunday, the third full moon since the winter solstice and the last of the winter season. Our ancestors might have known it as the Lenten Moon, or the Sap Moon, suggesting the first movement of sap in the sugar maples. The first people here called it the Crow Moon. Others knew it as the Worm Moon , for the first appearance of "castings" - worm poop - in the soil. It signaled renewed fertility, the revival of plant life and the return of migrating birds.