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January 2026 Supermoon - The Wolf Moon: Date, Time & Facts

full wolf moon, january full moon, the old farmer's almanac
Photo Credit
Colleen Quinnell/The Old Farmer's Almanac

Watch for January's Full Wolf Moon!

Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

The first Full Moon of 2026 is also a Supermoon! This spectacular sight occurs on the night of Saturday, January 3. Why do we call January’s Moon a “Wolf Moon”? (It’s not because wolves are hungry.) What makes it a Supermoon? Find out what’s special about this month’s Moon—as well as folklore and best days by the Moon.

When to See January’s Full Moon

January’s Full Wolf Moon reaches peak illumination on Saturday, January 3, 2026, at 5:03 A.M. EST. 

Because it is a Supermoon—occurring when the Moon is at perigee, its closest point to Earth—it will appear noticeably larger and brighter than a typical full Moon. Learn more about Supermoons.

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At a Full Moon, the Moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth to the Sun, so the face of the Moon facing towards the Earth will be entirely illuminated by the Sun’s rays. 

Look for the January Moon to rise from the eastern horizon around sunset that evening. By midnight, the Wolf Moon glows bright and round overhead. By sunrise, it will disappear into the western horizon.

Consult our Moonrise Calculator to see what time you can expect to catch a glimpse of the first Full Moon of 2026!

Look up at the Full Moon on the 3rd (or a day earlier or later)! What do you think?

The sunset embers smolder low,
The Moon climbs o’er the hill, 
The peaks have caught the alpenglow,
The robin’s song is still.
–John L. Stoddard (1850–1931)

Why Is It Called the Full Wolf Moon?

The Full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each Full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not just to the Full Moon itself.

The Wolf Moon

It’s thought that January’s Full Moon came to be known as the Wolf Moon because wolves were more likely to be heard howling at this time. It was traditionally believed that wolves howled due to hunger during winter, but we know today that isn’t accurate.

Howling and other wolf vocalizations are heard in the wintertime to locate pack members, reinforce social bonds, define territory, and coordinate hunting.

Wolves and Moon, the wolf moon

Alternative January Moon Names

Another fitting name for this Full Moon is the Center Moon. Used by the Assiniboine people of the Northern Great Plains, it refers to the idea that this Moon roughly marks the middle of the cold season.

Other traditional names for the January Moon emphasize the harsh coldness of the season: Cold Moon (Cree), Frost Exploding Moon (Cree), Freeze Up Moon (Algonquin), and Severe Moon (Dakota). Hard Moon (Dakota) highlights the phenomenon of the fallen snow developing a hard crust.

Canada Goose Moon (Tlingit), Great Moon (Cree), Greetings Moon (Western Abenaki), and Spirit Moon (Ojibwe) have also been recorded as Moon names for this month.

→ See all 12 months of Full Moon names and their meanings.

Moon Phases for January 2026

January 2026 Moon Phases

Below are the dates and times (in Eastern Time) of the Moon’s phases in January. See our Moon Phase Calendar for times in your city/state.

January Moon Phase Dates and Times
Full Moon: January 3, 5:03 A.M.
Last Quarter: January 10, 10:48 A.M.
New Moon: January 18, 2:52 P.M. 
First Quarter: January 25, 11:47 P.M.

→ When is the next Full Moon? See our Full Moon Dates chart.

A howling lone gray wolf in snow-covered landscape.

January Full Wolf Moon Video

Each month, we will explain the traditional names of the Full Moon along with some fascinating Moon facts. In this video, learn about January’s Full Wolf Moon. Click below to watch the video.

Best Days in January 2026

For Planting…

…Aboveground crops: 21, 22, 30, 31
…Belowground crops: 11-13

For Setting Eggs

1, 9, 10, 27-29

For Fishing

1-3, 18-31

→ See all our Best Days for various activities.

Moon Folklore

A bright first Moon promises rain and a bountiful harvest; a red-tinted Moon means a dry year.

A growing Moon and a flowing tide are lucky times to marry.

A halo around the Moon predicts wet or stormy weather. 

Share your thoughts about this month’s Full Moons below. Tell us if we’re missing anything that you would like to know!

Full Moon Names
About The Author
Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the website companion of The Old Farmer's Almanac. She covers gardening, plants, pest control, soil composition, seasonal and moon c...
Read More from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Cancer</span> Thu, 01/24/2013 - 13:43
Why do I retain more fluid during a full moon? It happens every month!
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 01/24/2013 - 17:38
There is an ongoing debate among experts as to whether the lunar phases significantly influence our health and behavior. There are various theories as to why the Moon might influence us, including gravitational pull and vibration. Many scientific studies seem to indicate that there is no correlation between the Moon and health, or they offer results that conflict with other studies. In general, there seems to be no conclusive evidence. If you are interested, however, you can find some of these studies online or in scientific journals. For example, the following article touches upon a related subject, urinary retention, and seems to suggest that there is a correlation with the new Moon, but not the full Moon. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1838760/?page=2 For more information, you might try asking a reference librarian at your local public library or nearest university. Water retention in general can occur for several reasons, including salt intake, reaction to medication, weather, certain medical conditions, certain allergies, etc. Hope this helps!
<span>Crankymae</span> Tue, 01/22/2013 - 11:51
Make sure someone else sees that halo. I commented to my neighbor, "Look at that halo around the moon!" She said "What halo?" Turns out I had developed unusually rapid cataracts.
<span>Khristian</span> Tue, 01/22/2013 - 11:34
I have noticed that sometimes the moon seems to glow a yellow around the edges. What causes this?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 01/22/2013 - 12:04
The Moon can appear silvery white when it's high in the sky or yellowish or even orange when it's near the horizon. The reason for this is due to the Earth's atmosphere. When the Moon (or Sun) is near the horizon, the light has to pass through a very wide path through an atmosphere filled with dust particles and the light scatters sideways.
<span>Kim Kostiew</span> Tue, 01/22/2013 - 07:46
I am moving in February, what's the best day to move. Should I move on the full moon.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 01/22/2013 - 10:48
Moving house during a waning moon is good luck.
<span>Pansy Jennifer…</span> Fri, 01/18/2013 - 13:00
Dancing on the moon...
<span>Adelyn</span> Wed, 01/02/2013 - 03:37
what is the best day to open a business?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 01/22/2013 - 10:50
We have best days to start a new project. See our Best Days Timetable here: http://www.almanac.com/bestdays/timetable