What is a Wolf Moon and how to see 2026’s first supermoon tonight
The first full moon of 2026 – also known as the Wolf Moon – is set to rise in the sky tonight.
It will be the fourth supermoon in a row, following the Harvest Moon in October, the Beaver Moon in November and the Cold Moon in December.
Visibility will depend on the weather, but clear skies could make it a spectacular sight.
The next moon appearing this large and bright won’t be until November.
This year, May will actually have two full moons, meaning 2026 will have 13 full moons instead of 12. The extra full moon is known as a ‘blue moon’, and happens around once every two and a half years (hence the saying ‘once in a blue moon’).
This is due to full moons happening every 29 days, while most months in our calendar have 30 or 31 days.
What is a Wolf Moon?
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the Wolf Moon is thought to have gained its name from Native Americans, who would hear wolves howling around this time after growing hungry during the long winter season.
No wolves this year (not in the UK anyway), but the haunting name remains.
This full moon is also known as Stay Home Moon, Quiet Moon and Severe Moon, which really accentuate the cold and bitter weather as the Moon provides the only source of limited natural light for well over 12 hours.
How to see the Wolf Moon
The Wolf Moon will rise on Saturday 3 January and will be at its fullest at 10.03am GMT.
However, it will look at its most impressive when closest to the horizon at evening moonrise, which happens at different times across the UK
For example, in London and Belfast this will be at 3.48pm, in Swansea at 4.03pm and in Aberdeen at 3.06pm.
It will be visible in the eastern sky, climbing higher and tracking towards the south as midnight approaches.
This is the first full moon of 2025, and marks the moment when the Moon’s Earth-facing side is fully illuminated by the Sun.
The Moon reflects light back to Earth to provide the crystal clear version we see of it when the weather is good.
How to see the Wolf Moon
- Find a dark location The darker the sky, the better you’ll be able to see the Moon
- Dress for cold weather The temperature is falling, and Moon watching involves a lot of standing around, so keeping warm can be tricky
- Avoid light pollution If you’re near city lights, try to find a spot that’s away from the city centre
- Be patient If the sky isn’t completely clear the Moon may occasionally be obscured by cloud
- Download stargazing apps like Night Sky and Stellarium to better understand where things are in the sky
When is the next full moon in 2026?
On average, it takes around 29 and a half days for the Moon to complete one cycle, with around seven and a half days between its four main phases: new moon, first-quarter moon, full moon and last quarter moon.
The moon goes through eight phases in total, starting with the new moon – which cannot be seen because the far side of the Moon is illuminated and the Earth’s side is in the shadow.
The next full moon will be on February 1.
The Moon’s elliptical orbit means it does not travel in a perfect circle, and its distance from Earth varies, so no lunar orbit is the same.
This is also why some full moons are known as supermoons, because they’re closer to Earth than others, appearing much bigger and brighter in the sky.
The next full moon is aptly named the Snow Moon, appearing in February, followed by the Worm Moon in March and the Pink Moon in April.
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