Articles About Months (33)
The Gregorian Calendar
The Gregorian calendar is the internationally accepted civil calendar that was first adopted in 1582.
The 12 Months of the Year
The 12 months of the year are linked to the Moon’s orbit around Earth. Why are there 12 months? What do the month names mean?
The Month of January
January has 31 days, and is named after the two-faced Roman god Janus.
The Month of February
February is the second month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It is the shortest month with only 28 days in common years and 29 days in leap years.
The Month of March
March is the third month of the year. It has 31 days and is named after Mars, the Roman god of war.
The Month of April
The month of April explained. How many days are in April? Why is April the 4th month? What meaning and symbolism does it have?
The Month of May
May is the fifth month of the year, has 31 days, and is likely named after the Greek goddess Maia.
The Month of June
June is the sixth month of the year, has 30 days, and is named after the Roman goddess Juno.
The Month of July
July is the seventh month of the year, has 31 days, and is named after Julius Caesar.
The Month of August
August is the eighth month in the Gregorian calendar and has 31 days. In the northern half of the world, August is the last month of summer.
The Month of September
September is the ninth month of the year in and has 30 days. It was originally the seventh month of the Roman calendar until 153 BCE.
The Month of October
October is the tenth month of the year and has 31 days. It was originally the eighth month of the Roman calendar until 153 BCE.
The Month of November
November is the 11th month of the year and has 30 days. It was originally the 9th month of the Roman calendar until 153 BCE.
The Month of December
December is the twelfth month of the year and has 31 days. It was originally the tenth month of the Roman calendar until 153 BCE.
What Is a Blue Moon?
“Once in a blue moon” suggests something is very rare. But just how rare is a Blue Moon?
What Is a Black Moon?
A Black Moon can be the third New Moon in a season with four New Moons or the second New Moon in the same calendar month, or even no New Moon at all.
January: Wolf Moon
January's Full Moon is named after howling wolves. In some cultures, it's known as the Quiet Moon, Severe Moon, and the Moon after Yule.
February: Snow Moon
The February Full Moon is named after the snow on the ground. Some Native American tribes named this the Hunger Moon, others call it the Storm Moon.
March: Worm Moon
The Full Moon in March is the Worm Moon, but if it occurs on or after March 21 it is also the Paschal Moon. It's also called Lenten, Crow, Crust, Chaste, Sugar, and Sap Moon.
April: Pink Moon
The Pink Moon is the Full Moon in April. It is also called Breaking Ice Moon, Budding Moon, Awakening Moon, Egg Moon, and Paschal Moon. When is the Pink Moon?
May: Flower Moon
The Full Moon in May is known as the Flower Moon or Full Flower Moon. Other names include Milk Moon and Hare Moon. What is the meaning behind these names?
June: Strawberry Moon
What is a Strawberry Moon, also called Rose Moon? When is the next Strawberry Full Moon in 2024, why does it happen in June, and how did it get its name?
July: Buck Moon
The Full Moon in July is the Buck Moon. It is also called Thunder Moon, Hay Moon, and Wyrt Moon.
August: Sturgeon Moon
The Full Moon in August is called the Sturgeon Moon, named after North America’s largest fish. Other names for this Full Moon include Grain Moon, Corn Moon, Lynx Moon, and Lightning Moon.
The Harvest Moon 2023
The Harvest Moon varies between September or October in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the Full Moon nearest the autumnal (fall) equinox.
September: Harvest and Corn Moon
The September Full Moon can be both the Harvest Moon and the Corn Moon. Most years, the Harvest Moon is in September, but around every three years, it’s in October.
October: Hunter’s Moon
October’s Full Moon is the Hunter’s Moon. It's also called the Drying Rice Moon, Blood Moon, or Sanguine Moon. Every three years or so, it's also the Harvest Moon.
November: Beaver Moon
The Full Moon in November is named after beavers. It is also called Frost Moon and Mourning Moon, depending on the winter solstice.
December: Cold Moon
The December Full Moon is called the Cold Moon, Long Nights Moon, the Moon before Yule, Oak Moon, and Wolf Moon.
Full Moon Names
Ancient cultures gave names to the Full Moon. These names are still in use today.
How Accurate Are Calendars?
Our calendar does not accurately reflect the length of a tropical year, the time it takes Earth to complete a full orbit around the Sun. Why is that so and are there other calendars that do a better job?
What Is a Lunar Month?
A lunar month is the time it takes the Moon to pass through all of the Moon phases, usually measured from a New Moon the next New Moon.
The Revised Julian Calendar
The Revised Julian calendar is one of the most accurate calendar systems ever developed. How does it work, and why don't we use it?