The first full moon of the year will illuminate the night sky on Thursday, January 28, 2021. But you don’t have to wait until the middle of the night to see it – the full “Wolf Moon” moon reaches its peak in the afternoon.
Why is it called the Wolf Moon?
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the January full moon is often referred to as the “ wolf moon ” as a reference to wolves that howled at night around this time of year, although it remains unclear whether the name came from a Native American tribe. , as moon names usually do.
There are a host of other names used to describe this month’s moon, including Candles Moon, Snow Moon, Hunger Moon, Center Moon, Cold Moon, Frost Exploding Moon, Freeze Up Moon, Severe Moon, and Hard Moon, among others .
“From what I learned about traditional names given to full moons prior to the introduction of modern timekeeping, local leaders usually decided on the name of the moon based on the circumstances at the time. These cultures generally had no need calendars that specify exact dates far in advance, “NASA’s Gordon Johnson said this week, explaining the sheer number of names.” Full moon names were used to describe and recall what happened in the past and to recall what was likely to come in the near future. There are also many different Native American names for the Full Moons. “
Wassilios Aswestopoulos / NurPhoto via Getty Images
When do you spot the Wolf Moon
In bright conditions, the full Wolf Moon will be visible from 2:16 p.m. ET. It will continue to shine brightly all night long, visible as soon as it rises above the horizon around sunset.
To get the best view of the moon, look at your local moonrise and moonset times and find a clear area to have a wide view of the sky. Don’t worry if you miss it on Thursday – the moon will seem full for several days, right through to early Saturday morning.
Skywatching in 2021 may not be as dramatic as it was last year Comet NEOWISE or Great combination, but it does promise some spectacular moons. Unlike 2020, when 13 full moons could be seen, 2021 has the typical 12 full moons:
- February 27: Snow moon
- March 28: Worm moon
- April 26: Pink moon
- May 26: Flower moon
- June 24: Strawberry Moon
- July 23: Buck moon
- August 22: Sturgeon moon
- September 20: Harvest Moon
- October 20: Hunter’s moon
- November 19: Beaver moon
- December 18: Cold moon