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ARTICLE AD BOX
Sky gazers can prepare for the first full moon of 2026 today. January's supermoon, also known as Wolf Moon, will light up the night sky tonight. In the Anglo-Saxon tradition, it is called the “Moon After Yule” and in the Alaska Range it is referred to as the “Winter Moon.” The supermoon got another name in North America as indigenous Dakota people call it “Severe Moon” to reflect the bitter cold days of the month, according to the Old Farmers Almanac.
As per Time and Date, Wolf Moon will rise around 3:32 PM IST on Saturday. January’s Full Moon is named after the howling wolves in the Northern Hemisphere winter.
When does a full moon occur?
This celestial phenomenon occurs once every 27-day when the moon is positioned opposite the sun in the Earth's sky. The lunar body appears to be fully-lit from our perspective. Casual observer on the surrounding nights of the full moon might feel that the lunar disk is fully lit but its peak illumination will happen on January 3.
The lunar body during this time appears even bigger than other full moon days as the celestial body is closest to the Earth during this time— a point in its orbit called perihelion. This makes the moon appear 30% brighter and 14% larger in contrast to the most distant full moon of the year, justifying the name “Supermoon.” Sky gazers can look forward to the first full moon of 2026, known as the Wolf Moon, rising around 3:32 PM IST on January 3. Sky watchers can enjoy the Wolf Moon with naked eye and can grab your camera and try to snap a picture of the first full moon of the year.
In a string of four consecutive supermoons, January's supermoon will be the last and cosmic enthusiasts will have to wait for months to witness the next supermoon which will be visible on 24 November, Space.com reported. Notably, the next full moon of the year will be visible on February 1.
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