Stargazers can expect the February full moon hours after their Lantern Festival dinner, as the moon will reach peak illumination at about 2:30 a.m. Beijing time on Monday, according to Kou Wen, senior engineer of Beijing Planetarium.

It will also be the smallest among all the 13 full moons in 2023, Kou told China Media Group.

The February full moon is dubbed as "Snow Moon" as heavy snow usually falls in this month in the North Hemisphere, per the "Old Farmers' Almanac," an annual American periodical. For the past January's full moon, it is called "Wolf Moon."

Micromoon vs. supermoon

A full moon occurs when the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun, as the moon's face is illuminated by the sun.

Traveling in an elliptical orbit around the Earth, the moon will be closer or farther from our planet. The closest point to Earth is called perigee, and the other apogee.

When a full moon occurs at or close to perigee, it's called a supermoon with a larger and brighter appearance. And oppositely, we'll have a micromoon.

According to NASA, the largest full moon can appear 14 percent larger in diameter than the smallest full moon. But for casual stargazers, the difference won't be notable.

When to enjoy the moon?

A micromoon occurs about every 13 or 14 months on average, so it takes more than a decade for such a moon to correspond with the Lantern Festival, said Kou.

However, the expert said there's no need for the public to wait until the moon is at its fullest. He suggested the evening of the Lantern Festival as a good time to enjoy the view, as a round and bright moon will stand out against reference objects such as buildings and trees.

A camera with a telephoto lens and telescopes can be the tools, he added.

What's next to the moon in the coming days?

February 21: Venus besides the moon

February 22: Jupiter near the moon

February 27: Mars close to the moon