The January 2026 full Wolf Moon—a supermoon—will appear in our sky on the night of Saturday, January 3–4, 2026. It will shine near the bright planet Jupiter and the twin stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux.
Full moon in January 2026
Moment of the full moon: January’s full moon—traditionally known as the Wolf Moon—will fall on January 3, 2026, at 10:03 UTC (5:03 a.m. EST).
When to see: Look for the bright full moon rising in the east around sunset on January 3, 2026. It will reach nearly overhead around midnight and set in the west around sunrise on January 4, 2026.
January’s full moon and Jupiter: The full moon in January 2026 will be visible near the bright Jupiter. Jupiter will appear brighter than all the stars in the night sky and will be bright enough to be visible despite the moonlight.
January’s full moon and Gemini: The full moon in January 2026 will lie in front of the zodiac constellation Gemini. Castor and Pollux—the twin stars of Gemini—will shine near January’s full moon and Jupiter. However, the bright moonlight may make the two stars difficult to see.
January’s full moon and supermoon: The full moon in January 2026 will be a supermoon, as it will occur about 1.5 days after the lunar perigee.
Why January’s full moon is called the Wolf Moon?
January’s full moon is traditionally known as the Wolf Moon because it was believed that wolves howled more during the cold January nights due to the scarcity of food.
Please bookmark Spaceandtelescope.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get latest space news, upcoming skywatching events and astronomy-related content.
