Supermoons tend to come in groups, and Earth just experienced three in a row. starting from October. The last supermoon in this sequence will occur on January 3, and will also be the first supermoon of 2026. Skywatchers will want to catch this one as the next one won't happen until November.
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The moon tends to spend three to four months at perigee, a fancy term that means it is as close to Earth as its elliptical orbit will allow. During this time, people call full moons supermoons. Because the Moon is physically closer to Earth than usual, the full moon appears brighter and larger in the sky.
The moon will appear 14% larger and 30% brighter than a micromoon.
The difference may be that the moon is 14% larger and 30% brighter than a micromoon, which occurs when the moon is at its apogee, or farthest point from Earth. This brightness is a real differentiator, as a supermoon is bright enough to light up your backyard, especially if there is snow on the ground.
The chances of this happening are quite high, since this snow expected in some parts of the US between Christmas and New Year's Eve.
To see the moon at its brightest, you'll need to stay up late on January 2nd or wake up very early on January 3rd. Farmer's AlmanacJanuary's supermoon will rise above the eastern horizon and sweep across the sky to settle in the west around sunrise. The moon will reach peak illumination at 5:03 a.m. ET. It should still be dark throughout the US at this time, so everyone will have a chance to see it.
If you see this is not possible due to weather or other events, the Wolf Moon will be more than 90% full from December 31 to January 5, giving you nearly a week of near-maximum illumination.
Since the Moon is the largest and brightest object in the night sky, you also don't need special magnifying devices to see it. However, good binoculars or a telescope will help Details of the Moon's surface are easier to seeand helps photographers take pictures some impressive lunar shots.
The full moon in January is commonly called the Wolf Moon due to the increased activity of wolves during this time. Not only does January mark the beginning of the wolf winter mating seasonbut wolves usually too more active at dusk and dawn. Twilight is quite early, especially immediately after winter solstice. In the old days, this meant that in January people were more likely to see a wolf or hear a wolf howl.
