Are you prepared for one of the cosmic spectacles of 2025? The initial full moon of the year, known as the Wolf Moon, will present something remarkable, visible throughout North America.
Although it will officially reach fullness at 5:26 p.m. EST on Monday, Jan. 13, the full moon will be most spectacular when it rises in the east at twilight on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at moonrise depending on your location. It will be located in the constellation Cancer, appearing just below the radiant planet Mars, which will exhibit a distinctly golden hue. This will be the optimal moment for observing its ascent, as on Monday, it will emerge shortly after sunset, leaving the sky too luminous to fully admire the full moon.
Nevertheless, it will certainly be worth watching the moon throughout the night from Monday to Tuesday. According to In The Sky, between 8:44 p.m. EST on Jan. 13 and 12:52 a.m. EST on Jan. 14, the Wolf Moon will seem to traverse and obscure Mars for approximately an hour, contingent upon your precise location.
While it’s possible to witness this extraordinary occurrence with the unaided eye, using a pair of binoculars or a small beginner telescope will provide an excellent close-up view of Mars as it disappears behind the moon’s southern edge and then reappears over its northern edge.
Related: The 10 most exciting stargazing opportunities of 2025
Intriguingly, this unique phenomenon will transpire only a few days prior to Mars achieving its peak brightness for a 26-month period. The annual opposition will take place on Thursday, Jan. 16, as it aligns with Earth and the sun, resulting in its disk being 100%-illuminated from our perspective. Given that Earth completes its orbit around the sun in 365 days while Mars takes 687 Earth days, Earth crosses between Mars and the sun every 789 days.
The name “Wolf Moon” has its origins in the howling of wolves during early winter, as noted by Timeanddate.com, with alternative names such as the Stay Home Moon, Quiet Moon, Severe Moon, and Center Moon. Other Indigenous American designations for January’s moon include the Cold Moon, Frost Exploding Moon, Freeze Up Moon, Severe Moon, Hard Moon, Canada Goose Moon, Great Moon, Greetings Moon, and Spirit Moon, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
The full moon succeeding the Wolf Moon will be the Snow Moon, which will reach fullness on Feb. 12.