The nights are gradually becoming lighter, not just because they’re getting shorter – but more recently because of the full Moon. This is the Wolf Moon, and it’s the first full Moon of 2024.
As the full Moon rises, the winter constellation Orion continues to dominate the night sky, acting as a useful 'pointer' to help us navigate the night sky. More on that below.
But when is the best time to see the full Wolf Moon from the UK? How far away is the Moon? What constellation is the Moon in? Here’s everything you need to know about the Wolf Moon in 2024.
If you fancy getting to grips with the constellations, check out our astronomy for beginner’s guide, which is packed full of expert tips and advice to help you out.
Or perhaps you’d like to take up lunar photography to make your feed truly out-of-this-world? Veteran astrophotographer Pete Lawrence has put together a practical guide on how to take great pictures of the Moon, whether you’ve got a smartphone, or all the latest tech – there are beginner, intermediate and advanced projects for you to try your hand at.
When can I see the Wolf Moon 2024?
Clouds permitting, the Wolf Moon will be visible tonight, 25 January 2024 in the UK, US and around the world. Peak illumination for the January full Moon will occur at 5:54pm GMT, when the Moon is still low on the eastern horizon.
When viewed from Southampton, the Wolf Moon will rise in the northeast at 4:08pm GMT on 25 January 2024, and set in the northwest the following morning at 8:45am.
From New York, the January full Moon will rise in the east-northeast at 4:55pm EST on 25 January 2024, and set in the west-northwest the following morning at 8:05am.
From LA, the Wolf Moon will rise in the east-northeast at 5:20pm PST on 25 January 2024, and set in the west-northwest at 7:49am the next morning.
- Related: Listen to the Instant Genius Podcast: Has the Moon entered a new epoch?
When is the best time to see the Wolf Moon?
A full Moon will always rise in the night sky after sunset.
As peak illumination occurs at 5:54pm in the UK soon after rising, the best time to see January’s full Moon, the Wolf Moon, will be between 5pm and 6pm, when the Moon is still low on the horizon. Although thick cloud is forecast for much of the UK, we may be offered a short break in the clouds around 6pm.
The Sun will set at 4:36pm GMT on 25 January, so when peak illumination occurs at 5:54pm the sky will be newly dark, and the Moon still low on the horizon.
Why is it called a Wolf Moon?
Like many of the names in popular parlance today, the name for January’s full Moon appears to originate from North America. The name Wolf Moon is attributed to the increased vocalisations from wolves at this time, heard in hunger during the long, dark, cold winter months when food is scarce.
What constellation will the Moon be in?
The day before full, the Moon was 1.7 degrees south of Pollux in the constellation Gemini. Tonight, the Moon is in the constellation Cancer, then in two days’ time on Saturday, it will pass 3.9 degrees north of Regulus in the constellation Leo.
Cancer the Crab is a faint constellation, and one that can be a little tricky to locate. Of course, on the night of full the Moon’s position will give it away, but without the Moon you can locate Cancer by using Orion as a celestial pointer.
Extend an imaginary line between the blue supergiant Rigel, which makes up Orion’s southwest corner, and the red supergiant Betelgeuse, Orion’s shoulder in the opposite corner. Keep going and you’ll reach the two brightest stars in Gemini: Castor and Pollux.
Next, locate the Plough asterism, then extend the pan’s side nearest the handle downwards, until you hit Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo. Extend an imaginary line connecting Regulus and Castor, and Cancer will be lingering around halfway between the two. If you grab a pair of binoculars, you might even be able to pick out the Beehive Cluster (M44), an open cluster in Cancer which is estimated to contain around 1,000 stars, located around 600 light-years from Earth.
Is the Wolf Moon in 2024 a supermoon?
No, the Wolf Moon in 2024 is not a supermoon.
A supermoon is a term that continues to rise in popularity, but it’s still an unofficial designation. It’s used to describe a month when the Moon looks bigger and brighter than other full Moons in the year. Because the Moon is in an elliptical orbit around the Earth, its distance away from us fluctuates throughout the year. When the Moon reaches its closest point to us, this is called lunar perigee, and when it’s furthest away from us, this is the lunar apogee.
If perigee occurs close to a full Moon in the lunar cycle, the Moon looks bigger and brighter – hence we get a supermoon. This is usually when the Moon is around 360,000km or less away from us, although this distance is taken with a pinch of salt.
What causes a full Moon?
A full Moon occurs when the side facing the Earth is fully illuminated by the Sun. This happens as part of the lunar cycle when the Earth is positioned directly between the Sun and the Moon. At this point, the Moon is essentially in ‘opposition’, as it’s opposite the Sun in the sky.
During a full Moon, the Sun and the Moon are balanced; as one rises, the other sets. This timing slips as the lunar cycle progresses, which is why we end up seeing a crescent Moon in the daylight sky.
One lunar cycle takes approximately 29.53 days (29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 3 seconds) to complete, and is measured from new Moon to new Moon.
However, although the Moon will appear full all night long, and even for a day either side of full, technically, it’s only ‘full’ for an instant. This is called ‘syzygy’, and refers to the exact moment when the Sun, Earth and Moon are in a perfectly straight line. But of course, all three are moving (yes, even the Sun is moving), so syzygy can only ever happen for a moment.
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