The Wolf Moon, the first full moon of the year, will appear in 2026 and grace the skies this weekend, but the lunar event will make the Quadrantid meteor shower a little harder to spot.
The silvery orb will begin to appear large in the sky on New Year's Eve and will reach peak illumination at 5:03 a.m. ET on Saturday, according to the report. The Old Farmer's Almanac.
“The moon will look full leading up to January 3 and the next day,” said Noah Petro, head of NASA's Planetary Science, Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Laboratory at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The wolf moon's brightness from reflected sunlight will make the Quadrantids meteor shower difficult to observe.
The Quadrantids will peak between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm ET on Saturday, according to Robert Lunsford, fireball reporting coordinator for the American Meteor Society. However, according to Lunsford, the best viewing will be from midnight to dawn ET on Sunday.
One of the three supermoons of the year
January's Wolf Moon will also be the first supermoon of 2026, which typically indicates a full moon that is closer than usual to Earth and appears larger and brighter in the sky. The winter globe will be one of the three closest moons to Earth this year, with the cold moon in December expected to be the closest, Petro said.
However, Petro noted that the difference between a supermoon and a full moon is negligible. “You’ll have to see it,” he added.
To help spot the differences, NASA offers an animation depicting lunar phases for 2026allowing sky watchers to visualize the Moon throughout the year.
For optimal viewing, local conditions permitting, you don't need special glasses—you can safely view the moon with your own eyes or use a telescope or binoculars for a closer look, Petro said. Finding a dark spot with a good view of the horizon is ideal, but if that's not possible, your favorite beach or hangout spot will do.
“Being in a meaningful place and enjoying the full moon makes it even more special,” Petro added.
A look at the Moon and future mission
With NASA Artemis II A crew of four is expected to orbit the Moon as early as early February. Petro is urging people to keep an eye on Earth's closest celestial neighbor ahead of the long-awaited mission. This will be the first time in more than 50 years that astronauts have left Earth orbit.
“Go out, look up and just be in awe” during January's supermoon, he said.
Looking at the ball, you can imagine what it would be like for the Artemis II astronauts, who, if successful, could fly past the Moon and see it. far side. Petro, leading the scientific group NASA Artemis III missionexplained that these astronauts will study features that we cannot see on Earth.
Petro encourages observers to begin a mental countdown to Artemis II, suggesting people “pay attention to the phases of the moon.”
How the January full moon got its name
The January wolf moon is named for the increased howling of wolves at this time of year. The Old Farmer's Almanac.
“We name full moons based on what is happening at that time,” Petro added.
The origin of the name comes from the Sioux language, which describes this moon as “wolves run together“
Alternative names come from others Indian tribessuch as mkokisis, which means “bear moon” to the Potawatomi people, and viotekhika vi, which means “hard moon” to the Lakota people.
Moonlight will test meteor watchers
The Quadrantid meteor shower will be active until January 16th.
The meteors appear to be coming from the constellation Bootes, also known as the Shepherd, Lunsford of the American Meteor Society said by email. This region was once called Quadrans Muralis, which is where the Quadrantids get their name, he added.
Since the full moon will be 100% illuminated this weekend, much of the activity will be obscured by the bright moonlight, Lunsford said. However, he suggested that you could increase your chances by facing northeast and with the bright moon behind you.
With clear skies, up to five Quadrantid meteors can be seen per hour, and perhaps another five stray meteors, he said.
Lunsford noted that the Quadrantids tend to move at moderate speeds, with the brightest ones exhibiting persistent trails that persist for several seconds after the meteor disappears.
The Quadrantids are known for producing bright fireballs. However, if you're in North America, your chances of seeing Quadrantid fireballs are slim, Lunsford said. But don't worry if you miss this meteor shower. There will be many more in 2026.
The Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak around August 12-13, and conditions should be ideal for viewing, with dark skies due to the new moon, according to EarthSky.
Upcoming meteor showers
After the Quadrantids peak, observers will have to wait for the Lyrid meteor shower in April.
Here are the dates for the rest of the meteor showers that will peak in 2026, according to data American Meteor Society.
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Southern Delta Aquarids: July 30–31.
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Alpha Capricornids: July 30–31.
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Southern Taurids: November 4-5.
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Northern Taurids: November 11-12.
Upcoming Full Moons
Here are the rest of the full moons of 2026, as well as their nicknames according to the version Farmers' Almanac:
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September 26: Harvest Moon.
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October 26: Hunter's Moon.
CNN's Ashley Strickland contributed to this report.
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