The first full moon of the year will illuminate the night sky on Thursday, January 28, 2021. But you will not have to wait until midnight to see it – the full moon “Wolf’s Moon” reaches its maximum illumination in the afternoon.
Why is it called the Moon of the Wolf?
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the full moon in January is often referred to as “wolf month” in reference to wolves that used to howl at night at this time of year, although it is unclear whether the name comes from a Native American tribe. , as the names of the months usually do.
There are a large number of other names used to describe this month’s moon, including Candle Moon, Snow Moon, Hunger Moon, Central Moon, Cold Moon, Freezing Moon, Freezing Moon, Severe Moon, and Hard Moon, among others.
“From what we learned about traditional names given to full moons before the introduction of modern timing, local leaders would usually decide the name of the moon based on the conditions at the time. These cultures generally did not need calendars to specify exact dates. well in advance, “NASA’s Gordon Johnson said this week, explaining the large number of names.” Full Moon names were used to describe and remind us of what happened in the past and to remind us of what might come. in the near future. There are also many different Native American names for the full moons. “
Wassilios Aswestopoulos / NurPhoto by Getty Images
When to see the Moon of the Wolf
In clear conditions, the full moon of the Wolf will be visible starting at 14:16 ET. It will continue to glow brightly throughout the night, visible once it rises above the horizon around sunset.
To see the best view of the moon, look for the local time of sunrise and sunset and find a serene area to admire a wide view of the sky. Don’t worry if you miss Thursday – the moon will appear full for a few days, until early Saturday morning.
Skywatching in 2021 may not be as dramatic as last year Comet NEOWISE or The great conjunction, but promises some spectacular months. Unlike 2020, which saw 13 full months, 2021 will have the typical 12 monthly months:
- February 27: Snow Month
- March 28: Worm Moon
- April 26: pink moon
- May 26: Moon with flowers
- June 24: The month with strawberries
- July 23: Buck moon
- August 22: sturgeon month
- September 20: Harvest month
- October 20: Hunter’s Month
- November 19: beaver month
- December 18: Cold month