The full Wolf Moon rises on Monday,January 17, 2022. Learn more about when, where, and how to see the January full Moon!
Advertisement
When to See January’s Full Moon
January’s full Wolf Moon reaches peak illumination on Monday, January 17, at 6:51 P.M.EST. Look for the Moon to rise from the northeastern horizon around sunset that evening.
Consult our Moonrise Calculator to see what time you can expect to catch a glimpse of the first full Moon of 2022!
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 wolves howl for different reasons. Howling and other wolf vocalizations are generally used to define territory, locate pack members, reinforce social bonds, and coordinate hunting.
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 2021
Below are the dates and times (in Eastern Time) of the Moon’s phases in December. See our Moon Phase Calendar for times in your city/state.
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.
When the wolf blood full moon came on January 21, 2019 my dad went into a full Alzheimer’s rage!!! I don’t know if the full moon has anything to do with this or not but believe me when it occurs the Alzheimer’s rage occurs also ...
You mention your father went into an Alzheimer’s rage with the full moon. You might want to take your father to an alternative medicine doctor to check for parasites. Parasites act up during a full moon. Parasites associated with Lyme disease could also create Alzheimer-like symptoms. Odds are a traditional doctor will not be well informed about this.
If you live in North America, the full eclipse has not started yet. The Moon is up, yes, however the full lunar eclipse is at 11:41 pm EST/8:41 pm PST on Jan 20, 2019. The partial eclipse begins at Jan 20 at 10:34 pm EST.
Comments