TAGBILARAN CITY- Some residents here gathered to watch the rise of February’s
full moon, the largest and brightest supermoon of 2019.
The full moon — also dubbed the “Super Snow Moon” is the
second of three supermoon events in the first three months of the year.
A supermoon happens when a full moon or a new moon when the moon is at its closest to Earth.
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| The Super Snow Moon was seen visibly in the skies in Bohol province on Tuesday night, Feb. 19, 2019. Photo by Leo Udtohan |
Cousins Winzel and Cedrick Olorvida urged their other
cousins to look at the skies on Tuesday night.
They used a telescope to get a closer view, as their aunt
Sharia cuddled seven-month-old baby Leann see the full moon.
“It was amazing,” said 7-year-old Cedrick, a second grade
pupil who is interested in astronomy.
“The moon appeared larger and brighter than the ordinary
full moon,” said 10-year-old Wenzel, a fifth grader.
Cedrick and Wenzel both go to the Booy South Elementary
School in this city.
According to the “Old Farmer’s Almanac” published in
1792, the February moon was called Snow Moon moniker “due to the typically
heavy snowfall of February.”
February’s moon has also been called the “Bone Moon” or “Hunger
Moon” due to the lack of food available in the winter, added “Old Farmer’s
Almanac,” a reference book containing weather forecasts, planting charts,
astronomical data, recipes, and articles.
It was not only sky watchers, particularly selenophiles,
that were attracted to the Snow Moon.
There were also the local witches and other occult practitioners who did their own thing.
In Lila town in Bohol, Eduard Guyano laid his crystals on
the surface outside his house in Barangay Poblacion to cleanse them.
Guyano uses crystals for crystal therapy, an alternative
medicine technique. It’s believed that crystals and stones can cure ailments.
A psychic healer identified only as Snow Owl, who lives
in Barangay Ponong in Siquijor town in Siquijor, said the supermoon would be
the best time to cleanse and renew the energy.
Snow Owl said that while Snow Moon wasn’t the extravagant
astronomical spectacle that January’s “Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse” was, it
was larger and brighter, and it definitely commanded attention to the sky.
“But the moon energy is still potent and powerful,” said
Snow Owl, who’s waiting for the seven Fridays before the Holy Week in April for
the annual “tang-alap,” or “the gathering of herbs.”
Lady Helen was also meditating in her home in Barangay
Booy in Tagbilaran while the moon rose past 6 p.m.
She said the since Tuesday’s phenomenon was rare, she
prayed for peace in her province during the May 2019 elections.
She also said the supermoon was also a good time to cast
good energy for prosperity and love.
There will be another supermoon March 20, hours after the spring equinox, according to earthsky.org, giving 2019 a total of three supermoons.
In any given year, between two and four full moons could
be classified as supermoons.
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