He Full Moon January 2026 It’s upon us! Here’s what we can expect when the “Wolf Moon” lurks over the horizon tonight, kicking off a spectacular natural light show as the first full moon (and supermoon) of 2026.
TO full moon It occurs when the moon is on the opposite side. the sun in LandLuna’s sky, an event that occurs only once in each of its recurring 27-day orbits, makes the lunar disk appear completely illuminated from our perspective. January’s full moon officially reaches maximum illumination at 5:03 a.m. EST (1003 GMT) on January 3, although the lunar disk will appear virtually full to the casual observer on surrounding nights. Local moonrise and moonset times will depend on your location.
The full moon in January is known as the Wolf Moon, in reference to the hungry predators that howl during the long winter nights. It is also sometimes known by its Anglo-Saxon name, “Moon after Yule.” depending on time and date and as the “Severe Moon” of the Dakota Indians of North America to reflect the intense cold of the month, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
This month’s full moon phase coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to Earth, a point in its orbit called perihelion – giving rise to a beautiful supermoon which can appear 30% brighter and 14% larger than the most distant full moon of the year. The January supermoon is the last in a series of four consecutive supermoons. After that, we’ll have to wait until November 24, 2026 to see another one!
When to see the “Wolf Moon” rise
Look toward the eastern horizon at dusk on January 2 to watch the “Wolf Moon” rise shortly before sunset local time. It will appear particularly large when it is close to the horizon thanks to a phenomenon called “moon illusion“, a visual effect that makes low moons appear large.
You may notice this effect even more at sunset the next day (January 3), when the satellite will rise into a darker sky shortly. after the sun sets You can also notice the moon acquires a yellow-orange hue as it approaches the horizon, as the prolonged journey through the earth’s atmosphere It scatters the bluer wavelengths of the reflected light, while allowing the rescuer’s wavelengths to pass relatively unobstructed.
|
New York |
5:03 a.m. Eastern Time |
|
London |
10:03 am GMT |
|
Tokyo |
7:03 p.m. Eastern Pacific Time |
|
Beijing |
6:03 pm central time |
|
Sydney |
9:03 pm AEDT |
On January 3, bright Jupiter will shine less than 4 degrees to the right of the lunar disk. To put it in context, the width of the three middle fingers held at arm’s length represents 5 degrees in the night sky.
Why not grab your camera and try to take a photo of the first full moon of the year using our handy guide to obtaining images of the Earth’s natural satellite? You may also want to check out our summaries of best cameras and astrophotography lenses to make sure you’re prepared to capture everything the night sky of 2026 has to offer.
Editor’s note: If you would like to share your astrophotography with Space.com readers, please send your photos, comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
