JACKSON, Wyo. — The first full moon of 2026 is waxing over Jackson Hole, expected to reach peak illumination at 3:03 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. And it’s a supermoon!
To qualify as a supermoon, a new or full moon must occur within 90% of the moon’s closest approach to the Earth along its elliptical orbit, according to NASA. The next supermoon won’t occur until November, per National Geographic.
“This month’s supermoon coincides with the January 2 to 3 peak of the Quadrantid meteor shower, an event known for its exceptionally bright meteors, known as fireballs,” according to National Geographic’s Stephanie Vermillion. “While the lunar glare will obscure much of the action, the Quadrantids’ vivid fireballs can cut through the moonlight, especially during peak activity from midnight to the pre-dawn hours.”
January’s full moon has been known as the Wolf Moon historically, due to wolf activity during this time of year. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo debunks the idea that wolves howl at the moon.
“Howling may be heard at night, but it is not a behavior directed at the moon,” according to the institution’s website. “Instead, it is used as a social rally call, a hail to hunt or as a territorial expression. A howl can even help a lost wolf find its way home. A wolf separated from its pack uses a ‘lonesome howl’ — a shortened call that rises in pitch. If answered, the wolf then responds with deep, even howls to inform the pack of its location.”
January’s full moon also has garnered names related to the harsh weather usually experienced during this time of year in North America.
According to Old Farmer’s Almanac, the Nêhiyawak (Cree) people call it the Cold Moon, Frost Exploding Moon and Great Moon. The Anishinaabe (Algonquin) call it the Freeze up Moon, and the Dakota call it the Severe Moon and Hard Moon, a nod to the hard crust snow sometimes forms. Other names include the Canada Goose Moon (Tlingit), the Greetings Moon (Western Abenaki) and the Spirit Moon (Ojibwe). The Assiniboine people of the northern Great Plains refer to this month’s moon as the Center Moon, due to it roughly marking the middle of the winter season.
Friday night’s forecast calls for snowy, cloudy skies over Jackson. The moon will next be full on Feb. 1.
