Look up! The Full Wolf Supermoon shines in the sky tonight!

A new year has begun, and what better way to start it off than with one of the brightest Full Moons of the entire year!

On the night of Friday, January 2, 2026, the Full Wolf Moon will rise. This is not only the first Full Moon of the year, it is the last of four supermoons in a row (beginning in October), and it is the last supermoon we will see until November. Due to the timing of this Full Moon, at 10:03 UTC (5:03 a.m. EST/2:03 a.m. PST), it will appear full (over 99 per cent illuminated) from Friday evening through Sunday morning.

Plus, if you find yourself gazing up at the Moon, don't forget to take in the rest of the night sky. The two largest planets in the solar system are up there, as well, and there's a chance to spot streaks of light zipping overhead from the best meteor shower of the winter season.

DON'T MISS: Eyes to the winter sky for meteor showers, a supermoon and a total lunar eclipse

What is a "Wolf Moon"?

For over a hundred years, the Farmer's Almanac has been printing a list of names for the Full Moons of the year. These names were taken from various sources, such as the lunar calendar of the Indigenous peoples of what is now the U.S. Northeast, the Anglo-Saxon lunar calendar, as well as Colonial and European folklore. Especially in the last few decades, they have become part of the public lexicon.

The 13 Full Moons of 2026 are presented here, along with their popular names and any notable characteristics, such as lunar eclipses, micromoons, or supermoons. (Scott Sutherland/NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio)

The January Full Moon is the Wolf Moon.

The Old Farmer's Almanac says: "The howling of wolves was often heard at this time of year. It was traditionally thought that wolves howled due to hunger, but we now know that wolves use howls to define territory, locate pack members, reinforce social bonds, and gather for hunting."

While 'Wolf Moon' is most often used to refer specifically to January's Full Moon (at least the first one, if there's two that month), it actually means much more.

Based on the Indigenous lunar calendar, the Wolf Moon actually began back on December 20, when the thin Waxing Crescent Moon first reappeared in the sky after the New Moon on the 19th. The Wolf Moon will 'end' with the last thin Waning Crescent Moon setting on January 17. After that, the Snow Moon will begin after the January 18 New Moon.

The phases of this Wolf Moon begin in late December 2025 and last through late January 2026. (Scott Sutherland/NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio)

In this way, these names are the lunar calendar equivalent of the names of the months in the Gregorian calendar.

If you miss out on seeing the Full Moon tonight, perhaps due to overcast skies, don't worry. The Moon will appear full for all of Saturday night as well.

Read more: Why does the rising Moon look so big?! It's the mysterious Moon Illusion!

It's not alone!

The Full Moon isn't the only nearby celestial object we can see in the sky tonight.

As the Moon rises in the northeast this evening, look almost directly south. It may be a challenge to spot depending on the light pollution in your area, but the planet Saturn will be there.

The southern night sky at 8 p.m. local time on January 2, 2026 shows the Full Moon and Jupiter in the constellation Gemini, with Saturn between Pisces and Aquarius to the southwest. (Stellarium/Scott Sutherland)

Then, while the Moon climbs higher in the sky and Saturn moves off to the west, Jupiter will rise along with the constellation Gemini. Spot it near the bright star, Pollux, following the Moon across the celestial sphere throughout the night.

Additionally, if you are out gazing up at the sky tonight or Saturday night, give your eyes some time to adjust to the dark (around 20 minutes should do), and glance around for a chance at spotting shooting stars.

The supermoon will put a bit of a damper on the show, as its brightness will wash out the sky, but the Quadrantid meteor shower peaks Saturday night.

The radiant of the Quadrantid meteor shower, located in the northern sky, on the night of January 3-4, 2026. (Stellarium/Scott Sutherland)

The Quadrantids rank as the best meteor shower of the winter season, and can easily match or even exceed what we can see from either the Perseids or Geminids. There's a catch, though, as this meteor shower has a very narrow peak compared to the other two.

On Friday night, between 10-20 meteors every hour will likely stream out of the northern sky. Saturday night, this may jump up to nearly 100 per hour! However, the supermoon's effect on our night vision will make it a bit more challenging to see the dimmer meteors.

Thus, we may only spot about half of them, but even 50 meteors per hour means seeing one flash by almost every minute, which is quite an excellent way to spend a chilly, clear winter Saturday night.

Be sure to check your forecast for cloud conditions, and properly bundle up for the cold.

READ MORE: How to get the most out of meteor showers and other night sky events

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