Rapid Fire
Wolf Supermoon
- 07 Jan 2026
- 2 min read
The first full moon of 2026, the Wolf Supermoon, peaked on 2nd January, highlighting a full moon that appeared slightly larger and brighter. A Wolf Supermoon is a combined term referring to the occurrence of the Wolf Moon at the time of a Supermoon.
- The Wolf Moon is the traditional name for January’s first full moon, rooted in indigenous, Celtic and Old English folklore, and popularised by almanacs such as the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
- It is associated with mid-winter beliefs of wolves being heard howling more frequently, though the Moon itself undergoes no physical change.
- Wolf supermoons are relatively uncommon and occur only when the January full moon aligns with a supermoon.
- A Supermoon occurs when the Moon reaches its closest point to the Earth at the same time that it is in its full phase, making it appear slightly larger and brighter in the night sky.
- As the Moon travels around the Earth in an elliptical orbit, it passes through two distinct points in its orbit: perigee, the point of closest approach, and apogee, the point of farthest distance.
- A common visual effect during a supermoon is the moon illusion, which makes the Moon appear larger near the horizon due to human perception of distance and scale rather than any physical change in the Moon.
| Read more: Total Lunar Eclipse and Supermoon |
