Super Worm Moon Marks Start Of Spring In Boulder

BOULDER, CO -- Celebrate the beginning of spring this year under a supermoon on Wednesday, March 20. It’s the last in a series of three and the final supermoon of 2019. The moon, which will appear bigger and brighter because of the supermoon effect, rises just hours after the spring or vernal equinox, which occurs at 3:58 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time In Boulder.

The moon rises at 7:00 p.m. MDT. To catch the full effect, look toward the east horizon around sunset when the moon is still hugging the horizon. The moon turns full at 7:42 p.m. MDT.

Whether you’ll be able to see it depends on the weather. The Boulder forecast calls for sunny skies and highs in the mid-50s.

The brightest supermoon of 2019 occurred last month.

The March full moon is known as the worm moon according to Native American lore because that’s when worms begin emerging from the ground. The last time the full worm moon and the spring equinox was 19 years ago in 2000. It won’t happen again until 2030.

5 Things To Know About Spring

The equinox occurs at the exact moment the sun stands directly above the equator and day and night are of nearly equal time. The spring outlook for Boulder calls for temperatures that are slightly below average, especially for the rest of March. Once we get later into spring, we will start to see temperatures that are slightly above average, before another dip in May.

Here are five things to know about the beginning of spring:

1. Can you really stand an egg on its end at the exact moment spring arrives?

Yes, but no more so on the first day of spring than on any other day, according to “The Bad Astronomer” Philip Plait, who compares the egg-standing myth to “an extremely contagious virus.” Plait, an American astronomer, skeptic, writer and popular science blogger, says the reason eggs can be balanced on one end most likely has to do with tiny bumps on the shell on the end that “act like little legs holding the egg up.”

2. Does spring really make people more amorous?

Uhm, no, according to the Science of Relationships, which stays sexual drives and mating behaviors follow six-month cycles. So, you’re most likely to feel the urge to go forth and procreate, or at least practice for it, in the winter and summer.

3. During the equinox, can you stand in the direct sun and not cast a shadow?

The sun’s new angle during the equinox will change the length of your shadow, but conditions would have to be perfect for this to happen. For example, you’d have to be standing right at the equator when the clock strikes noon to avoid casting a shadow, according to Accuweather.

SEE ALSO: 2019 Guide To Meteor Showers

4. Does the sun rise due east and set due west at the equinox?

Yes, it does, no matter where you are on Earth. If you’re directionally confused, or downright directionally dysfunctional, this is a good time of year to find due east and due west, according to Earthsky.org, which advises: “Just go outside around sunset or sunrise and notice the location of the sun on the horizon with respect to familiar landmarks.” Your clarity won’t last, though, as the direction of the sun will shift as the season progresses.

5. During the equinox, will we have equal hours of day and night?

No, according to National Geographic, which debunked the myth by consulting the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. The true days of equal daylight and nighttime always fall before the spring equinox and fall, or autumnal, equinox. And then it depends on where you are on the planet. So, when the sun passes over the equator on Monday, the day will be a little longer than the night, no matter where you are.

Patch national staffer Beth Dalbey contributed to this report.

Do you like this article? Join the Boulder Patch on Facebook! Stay in touch with the news and events that shape Boulder County. Sign up for your free Patch newsletter here.