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

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

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 and a Purdue University Extension Master Gardener. She loves helping readers find practical, trustworthy answers—whether they’re figu...

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Tori Hickerson</span> Tue, 12/31/2013 - 19:36
A bit more detail...I understand if you want your hair to grow, you cut it CLOSEST to the time of a full moon (but not past the minute). Same as stunting the growth - closest to the new moon (but not past - OR your in the next cycle).
<span>Dena</span> Mon, 12/30/2013 - 14:37
To enhance hair growth, cut you hair on the new moon, this way, your hair grows better as the "moon grows"
<span>Moon Man</span> Sun, 12/15/2013 - 20:51
I LIKE THE MOON IT IS MY FRIEND AND IT LOOKS LIKE CHEESE TO ME. ME AND MY DUCK SPEAK TO THE MOON BUT IT NEVER ANSWERS....WHY?
<span>Kevin</span> Fri, 01/22/2016 - 22:27
You got mad moon rspC+ mydude. Iwant 2 Know why When theMoon so far and We so close WHY the sun got nuttin to do wit it? Answer me these FARMSALAMlnac
<span>Joyce Darnell</span> Tue, 01/07/2014 - 03:59
probable because,the moon does not have a voice. Or because the moon is to far away to hear you.
<span>Anneb</span> Mon, 01/28/2013 - 16:50
For a few days, including Jan 17 and 18, a friend and I saw what looked liked a smaller-than-usual white crescent shape at the BASE of the invisible moon, like the shape of a bowl from the side. Can you help? Thanks
<span>Evelyn</span> Thu, 02/15/2018 - 22:28
My papaw taught me this 40-50 years ago, and I have found it to be true: “If the moon is standing straight up, it is pouring out rain. If the moon is sitting down forming a bowl, it is holding rain.” I look at the moon more in the summer months than any other time of the year. I have never seen the moon “lying down forming a smile,” so the “bowls” that Papaw showed me were not perfect “smiles.”
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 01/29/2013 - 11:19
Within a day or so before or after the new Moon, you will see a very thin crescent of light, in the shape of a curve (like a very thin Cheshire cat smile). The curve, depending on the season, time of day, and viewer location, may be oriented so that it is like a smile, rather than having it upright like a parentheses sign. A crescent moon is always low in the sky and appears around dawn or dusk. From January to March in the United States and other northern temperate latitudes (from 25 to 50 degrees north latitude), the crescent Moon will have its points, or horns, aimed upward, so that the Moon looks like a smile. On the other hand, January 18, 2013, was the time of the first quarter Moon, quite a bit past new Moon. If you are saying that a thin crescent appeared below the unlit side of the Moon (on the left side), in addition to the lit right side of the Moon, then we're stumped, especially without seeing an actual image. No optical effect or phenomenon (such as Moon dogs, halos, pillars, earthshine, etc.) comes to mind that might be the cause. Were you using an optical aid, such as a telescope or binoculars? If so, it might be something to do with the lenses and atmosphere. It probably wasn't Uranus, which you could see with binoculars around mid-January close to the Moon. Anybody else have an idea?
<span>Tarot Card Rea…</span> Sun, 01/27/2013 - 08:38
Hi! Thought you might like to see that I featured your piece on my Tarot Card Reading Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/TarotCardReaderAngelaLucy Thanks1
<span>A Mother</span> Sat, 01/26/2013 - 16:31
Our daughter is a labor and delivery nurse. There is always more births on a full moon. Do you know what causes this?