See an Ultra Rare Moonbow in Kentucky During One of These 12 Dates in 2025

Looking ahead to the lunar calendar for 2025, there are 12 full moons which means there are twelve opportunities to see an incredibly rare phenomenon known as a moonbow.

Moon Phases

There are several phases that the moon passes through every 29.5 days - waxing, waning, full, and new. You likely already know that the moon is full when it reaches peak illumination and it is considered to be new when it is at its most dark. But what about waxing and waning moons? A waxing moon is the phase when the moon is moving from darkness to full illumination, or new to full. A waning moon is what we see when the moon begins to slowly go from full illumination back to dark or full to new.

Other Moon Terms

There are a couple of other terms you may have heard when it comes to referencing our lunar friend: gibbous and crescent. The moon is considered to be either a waxing or waning crescent when the moon is at only 50% illumination or less. Likewise, a moon is gibbous (waxing or waning) when it is between 50-99% illumination.

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The Mighty Full Moon

Because the full moon does not coincide with the manmade calendar, it does not happen at the same time every month. It's for this same reason that there are occasionally thirteen full moons in a twelve-month calendar year - we saw this in 2023. For 2025 though we will only see twelve full moons.

Big Rock, Bigger Impact

The moon has a tremendous impact on our planet. The gravitational lunar pull affects the ocean tides, animal behaviors, and even human behaviors (ask any ER doctor or nurse about their jobs during a full moon.)

Something Rare and Magical

There is a phenomenon known as a moonbow - it is exactly like a rainbow in the way rays of light are refracted in water, but it happens with moonlight instead. In the entire world, there are only two places that regularly and consistently produce moonbows. One of them is in Africa and the other is in Kentucky. In the middle of the woods, next to a waterfall in Kentucky, you can see this phenomenon!

Full Moon Dates for 2025

So when can you experience the magic of the full moon (and maybe even a moonbow too) in 2025? According to MoonPhases.org, these are the dates of the full moons. Additionally, we've included the adjacent dates for potential moonbow view as well.

January - Full Moon, January 13, 2025. Potential moonbow viewing dates: 1/11 - 1/25

February - Full Moon, February 12, 2025. Potential moonbow viewing dates: 2/10 - 2/14

March - Full Moon, March 14, 2025. Potential moonbow viewing dates: 3/12 - 3/16

April - Full Moon, April 12, 2025. Potential moonbow viewing dates: 4/10 - 4/14

May - Full Moon, May 12, 2025. Potential moonbow viewing dates: 5/10 - 5/14

June - Full Moon, June 11, 2025. Potential moonbow viewing dates: 6/09 - 6/13

July - Full Moon, July 10, 2025. Potential moonbow viewing dates: 7/08 - 7/12

August - Full Moon, August 09, 2025. Potential moonbow viewing dates: 8/07 - 8/11

September - Full Moon, September 07, 2025. Potential moonbow viewing dates: 9/07 - 9/11

October - Full Moon, October 06, 2025. Potential moonbow viewing dates: 10/04 - 10/08

November - Full Moon, November 05, 2025. Potential moonbow viewing dates: 11/03 - 11/07

December - Full Moon, December 04, 2025. Potential moonbow viewing dates: 12/02 - 12/06

READ MORE: See an Incredible Photo of a Moonbow in Kentucky

[Source: Cumberland Falls State Resort Park via Facebook]