A supermoon—a bigger and brighter full moon than usual—will appear in our sky on Saturday night, January 3-4, 2026. It will be the last of four consecutive supermoons in 2025–2026.
Supermoon in January 2026
Moment of supermoon: The moment of the supermoon will fall on January 3, 2026, at 10:03 UTC (5:03 a.m. EST).
When to see: The supermoon will rise in the east around sunset on January 3, 2026, and be visible throughout the night of January 3-4, 2026. It will be visible near the bright Jupiter that evening.
Distance of the supermoon: The distance of the supermoon from Earth will be 362,312 kilometers. The average distance of the moon from Earth is 384,400 kilometers.
Apparent size of the supermoon: The apparent size of the supermoon will be 32.98 arcminutes in diameter. The average apparent size of the moon is 31 arcminutes in diameter. So the supermoon in January 2026 will appear 6.4% bigger than the average full moon.
Brightness of the supermoon: The supermoon in January 2026 will appear 11.2% brighter than the average full moon.
How close to perigee: The supermoon in January 2026 will occur about 1.5 days after the lunar perigee. It will be 95.6% close to its perigee.
Four consecutive supermoons in 2025-2026
Here are the four consecutive full moons in 2025–2026 that qualify as supermoons — three in 2025 and one in January 2026:
| Supermoon date (UTC) | Distance (km) | How close to perigee |
|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2025 | 361,458 | 96.4% |
| November 5, 2025 | 356,980 | 99.7% |
| December 4, 2025 | 357,219 | 99.5% |
| January 3, 2026 | 362,312 | 95.6% |
What makes a full moon a supermoon?
Full moons can occur at any point along the moon’s elliptical orbit, but when a full moon occurs at or near the perigee—the closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit—it looks slightly bigger and brighter than an average full moon.
Since “supermoon” is not an official astronomical term, there is no strict definition for how close a full moon must be to perigee to qualify as a supermoon. Generally, if a full moon occurs at or within 90% of its perigee, it is referred to as a supermoon.
The more precise astronomical term for a supermoon is “perigean full moon” or “perigee syzygy.” Syzygy is the alignment of three celestial objects, in this case the sun, moon, and Earth.
How often does a supermoon occur?
A full moon occurs once every 29.5 days, or roughly once a month. Therefore, there are typically 12 full moons in a year. However, not every full moon is a supermoon.
Three to four times a year, a full moon occurs within 90% of its perigee. That’s why supermoons appear three to four times a year, and when they do, they occur in consecutive months.
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