Life
Thanks to a friend, I recently became pretty obsessed with astrology. I’m a newbie as of the Summer Solstice of 2019. I don’t know why I didn’t get into this sooner, because it all just makes perfect sense. Knowing my sun sign being in Libra, my moon sign being in Aries, and my rising sign being in Capricorn just totally gives me perspective on my identity, the way I handle emotions, and my “outward persona.” And I firmly believe the moon phases affect us as well. So I’m curious about any old wives' tales about the micromoon that’s coming up. Well for some, I guess they’re “old wives' tales,” but for others, these are things we can potentially expect to happen on Friday the 13th. Oh yeah, because not only is it a micromoon — which also means it’s a full moon — but it’s going to occur on Friday the 13th for some places. Guys, this is a pretty intense lunar event. Superstitions will be colliding.
So what exactly is a micromoon, and how does it differ from a regular full moon and a super moon? Well a super moon is when the full moon is closest to the earth, so it appears larger and brighter. A micromoon, though still a full moon, is when it is furthest away from the earth, according to universallifetools.com. The Farmers' Almanac also stated that while June 13, 2014, was when the Eastern Hemisphere experienced a full moon before midnight on Friday the 13th, this time, the Western Hemisphere will be experiencing this phenomenon. The Farmers' Almanac also noted we haven’t had a Friday the 13th full moon nationwide since Oct. 13, 2000, and it won’t happen again until Aug. 13, 2049.
As far as whether or not the fact that it’s Friday the 13th will affect any outcomes or experiences from the micromoon, astrologist Helene Cierzo says though it is certainly spooky, it doesn’t make much of a difference. However, she does tell Romper to look out for a few “old wives' tales” or things to potentially happen thanks to this micromoon that is also a full moon.
Additionally, Cierzo says there's a chance the "lunacy" effects of the typical full moon may lessen, since it's farther away than normal. "[This micromoon] is when a new moon or full moon is at the lunar apogee, which is the farthest place from the earth in the moon’s orbit. So this moon is the smallest moon of 2019," she tells Romper.
1
Affects Sleep
Cierzo says a full moon definitely affects our sleep cycles, so "it may be difficult to get to sleep, you may have interrupted sleep, or wake up super early. This also affects the babies!" Oh hell, here we go, y'all.
"In the Journal of Affective Disorders in 1999, researchers suggested that before modern lighting, 'the moon was a significant source of nocturnal illumination that affected [the] sleep–wake cycle, tending to cause sleep deprivation around the time of full moon,'" a Live Science article reported. Additionally, "a small study in 2013, of just 33 volunteer adults, found they slept less during the full moon even when they could not see the moon and were not aware of the current lunar phase. The researchers say the findings would need to be replicated before they could be considered reliable, however."
2
Animals Behave Differently
Apparently wild animals behave differently because of a full moon, according to Live Science. "For example, lions usually hunt at night, but after a full moon, they're more likely to hunt during the day — likely to make up for the tough going on a moonlit night," the article noted. I don't know about you, but my animals (who are definitely not lions) act like morons when there's a full moon. Every time. Coincidence or not, it's still happening. Maybe they believe they're wild animals at heart.
3
More Emergency Room Visits
"Policemen, doctors, and nurses report that there are more incidents around the full moon," Cierzo says. Perhaps because the moon makes people act out a little bit because they're more sensitive (see below), that's why they end up getting injured?
4
Lunacy
Whenever I'm driving with my mom and someone does something particularly stupid in traffic, or if she had a bad day dealing with passengers (she's a flight attendant), she always says, "Must be a full moon." The Farmers Almanac concurs that it's definitely an urban legend and old wives' tale that the moon affects our behavior.
The Farmers Almanac also noted that people who believe this occurs "point out that the human body is 60 percent water," and since the moon affects the tides, of course humans would be affected, right?
Cierzo says, "Studies show that people with mental illness often have outbursts, or exhibited violent behavior around the full moon. Emotions are heightened during a full moon."
However, astrologers The Astro Twins tell Romper, "Since the micromoon happens when the full moon is at its furthest from Earth, this can offset some of the 'lunacy' a full moon legendarily brings ... and we won’t take every little comment as a personal slight."
5
Affects Labor & Delivery
The Astro Twins do point out, however, that the moon is currently in "emotional Pisces," which is also a water sign, and this could potentially "be a good weekend for moms having a water birth." Additionally, they tell Romper, "A micromoon might even dial down some of the natural empathy that a Pisces full moon would normally bring. If you’re pregnant or going into labor, try to get support from numerous sources so you don’t lean too heavily on one person — they might be going through their own internal voyages making it harder to get their attention." They suggest downloading music, podcasts, and TED talks for when your "go-to rocks" are a little unsteady.
"Midwives and birth doulas also report that there is an increase in the number of births around a full moon," Cierzo says.
6
Makes Us More Empathetic
"On a more positive note, this particular full moon will make us more compassionate, charitable, and sensitive to others. It is great to align and spend time with more spiritual and heartfelt matters now," Cierzo says. Hopefully because it's a micromoon, the opposite won't happen.
Even with all these old wives' tales, this micromoon is still extra magical, because "the moon is occurring at 21 degrees Pisces, close to the planet Neptune," according to Cierzo. She also suggests during this particular micromoon, you should take the time to relax and reflect. "Lately we’ve been all on a back-to-school, back-to-work mode, putting our efforts into practical tasks such as organizing, decluttering, cleaning, or being of service. Our mental discriminative skills are on high alert during these heavy analytical times," she says.
Even if your way of relaxing involves an adult beverage, Cierzo warns not to imbibe too much during the full moon. "Because the full moon is closely synced with Neptune and squaring Jupiter, one must be mindful not to overindulge in toxins, alcohol, or anything else that may be harmful to the body. Also be mindful of deception and not seeing things clearly. The best use of this energy is take time to dream, start a dream journaling practice ... or start something creative. Make art, music, film," she suggests.
