When is January's full moon? What to know about the Wolf Moon in 2026

Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal

Fri, January 2, 2026 at 4:48 PM UTC

3 min read

Kentucky sky gazers and astronomers are in for a treat this week when the fourth consecutive supermoon rises over the horizon.

The Wolf Moon, the first full moon of 2026, will peak in the early morning hours of Jan. 3. The supermoon will be the fourth in a row, dating to October 2025, and it will also appear full the evening of Jan. 2.

Here's what to know:

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon is visible Jan. 3, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. It marks the first supermoon of 2026.

When is the full moon in January 2026?

The Wolf Moon peaks at 5:03 a.m. Jan. 3.

Why is it called the Wolf Moon?

Wolves were believed to howl more in January as the first few weeks of winter cloaked the ground in frost and snow, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.

Other names for January's full moon from Native American tribes include the Center Moon, Freeze Up Moon and the Hard Moon.

When will the Wolf Moon peak in Kentucky?

The Wolf Moon peaks at 5:03 a.m. Jan. 3. It will also appear full the evening of Jan. 2.

What is a supermoon?

A supermoon occurs when a full moon's orbit is closest to the Earth, according to NASA. Because the moon travels the Earth in an ellipse, an oval-like shape, it moves closer and farther from the planet as it travels.

The point where the moon is farthest from the Earth is called the apogee, where the moon is 253,000 miles from Earth on average. The closest point is called the perigee, with the moon around 226,000 miles from Earth.

January's Wolf Moon marks the first supermoon of 2026. The other supermoons will rise in November and December.

How big are supermoons?

Supermoons can appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than the faintest moon of the year. Visually, that might not leave much of an impression, but the proximity of a supermoon has an effect on Earth, causing higher tides than normal.

Will skies be clear in Kentucky for the January 2026 full moon?

The National Weather Service in Louisville is predicting cloudy skies that become mostly sunny and clear on Jan. 3. Highs near 41 and lows around 25 are expected with northeast winds of around 6 mph.

The NWS expects mostly cloudy skies with a high near 40 and low around 31 doe Jan. 2. Light north winds will become northeast of 3 to 5 mph in the evening.

Full moon schedule 2026

Here's next year's full moon schedule, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac:

Wolf Moon: Jan. 3 at 5:03 a.m.
Snow Moon: Feb. 1 at 5:09 p.m.
Worm Moon: March 3 at 6:38 a.m.
Pink Moon: April 1 at 10:12 p.m.
Flower Moon: May 1 at 1:23 p.m.
Blue Moon: May 31 at 4:45 a.m.
Strawberry Moon: June 29 at 7:57 p.m.
Buck Moon: July 29 at 10:36 a.m.
Sturgeon Moon: Aug. 28at 12:18 a.m.
Harvest Moon: Sept. 26at 12:49 a.m.
Hunter’s Moon: Oct. 26 at 12:12 a.m.
Beaver Moon: Nov. 24 at 9:53 a.m.
Cold Moon: Dec. 23 at 8:28 p.m.

Find stars, planets and constellations with these free astronomy apps

The following free astronomy apps can help you locate stars, planets, and constellations.

SkyView Lite for iPhone | Google Play
Star Walk 2 for iPhone | Google Play
Star Chart for iPhone | Google Play
NASA for iPhone | Google Play

Contributing: Hannah Hudnall, John Tufts and Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY Network. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Wolf Moon is visible Jan. 3. More on first supermoon of 2026

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