Topline
The first full moon of the year will happen Thursday, and the Moon’s rays will cause Venus, Mercury and Mars to be visible early Friday morning.
A view of the super blood wolf moon and total lunar eclipse on January 20, 2019 in Austin, United … [+] States. (Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images)
Key Facts
Thursday will mark the first full moon of the year, as this year’s “Wolf Moon” will reach its peak at 12:54 p.m. ET, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory, though it will be visible later on in the evening for most of the Northern Hemisphere.
The Wolf Moon will technically be visible for a small portion of the day, since moonrise will occur at 4:56 p.m., while sunset occurs eight minutes later at 5:04 p.m.
Other planets will be illuminated under the full moon’s light: Venus will rise at 5:11 a.m. on Friday, and Mercury rises almost an hour later at 6:05 a.m., followed by Mars at 6:09 a.m.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac refers to January’s full moon as the Wolf Moon because wolves were traditionally heard howling during this time, as it’s believed they howled during winter due to hunger.
However, the Wolf Moon goes by other names, as several Native American tribes have their own cultural names for the Moon, according to the Almanac: Center Moon, Cold Moon, Freeze Up Moon, Frost Exploding Moon, Severe Moon, Hard Moon, Canada Goose Moon, Great Moon, Spirit Moon and Greetings Moon are all alternate names for the Wolf Moon.
Key Background
Because the Moon’s cycle lasts for 29.5 days, there is a full moon every month, though they don’t always fall on the same day, according to NASA. During those 29.5 days, the Moon goes through eight phases: new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter and waning crescent. When the Moon enters the full moon phase, it appears as a perfect circle in the sky because the entire side of the moon that’s facing the Earth is lit up by the Sun’s rays.
Tangent
The full moon isn’t the only celestial event happening this week. The Moon will be about 98% lit on Wednesday, making twin stars of Gemini visible. The stars, named Pollux and Castor after figures from Greek and Roman mythology, will be positioned just above the Moon, though Castor will be slightly higher than Pollux. Venus can be seen glowing brightly just before dawn on Saturday, and binoculars are recommended to see the planet, according to EarthSky. Mercury will be visible about 45 minutes before sunrise, and will be positioned lower in the sky. If the skies are clear, gazers may get a glimpse of Mars—which will be significantly dimmer—next to Mercury. The waning moon—the moon phase between full and half moon—will pass near the star Regulus Saturday morning, according to NASA. Regulus is the brightest star in the Leo constellation and looks like a blue egg.
Further Reading
Visible planets and night sky for January (EarthSky)
Wolf Moon: Full Moon in January 2024 (Old Farmer’s Almanac)
