We’ve heard of a Full Moon, a Supermoon, even a Strawberry Moon, but have you heard of a Wolf Moon? Legend has it this moon was the most dangerous for werewolves, so be careful out there NYC!
This year’s full Wolf Moon will occur on Friday, January 6th. It will reach peak illumination at 6:09pm EST.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, this type of moon would appear when wolves gathered to howl in hunger outside of villages. However, we have since discovered that wolves tend to howl to locate members or define territory rather than in hunger.
Other names for this moon are the Center Moon or Cold Moon (and after what would normally be a cold month, it makes sense)!
Though the Wolf Moon will peak around 6:09 pm, New Yorkers will get the best view after sunset (4:44pm EST) and before moonrise (5:16pm EST) the following evening (Saturday, January 7th), shared Forbes. This is because moonrise will occur before the sun sets on Friday night.
January’s full moon is actually a “micromoon,” explains The Old Farmer’s Almanac. To clarify, Friday’s full Wolf Moon will be at its farthest point from Earth, approximately 252,600 miles. This phenomenon is otherwise known as an “apogee.”
And mark your calendar because the next full moon (a.k.a Snow Moon) will happen on February 5th, 2023.