When to Watch January’s Wolf Supermoon — and How the Quadrantids Will Be Affected

The new year quickly brings a celestial treat: the first supermoon of 2026. The January "wolf supermoon" will rise on the nights of Friday and Saturday, Jan. 2–3, in the constellation Gemini and reaches peak illumination on Saturday, Jan. 3, at 5:03 a.m. ET. This event coincides with the peak of the Quadrantid meteor shower, offering a dramatic — if partly moonlit — weekend for skywatchers.

When and Where to Watch

On the nights of Jan. 2 and 3 the moon will climb above the eastern horizon around sunset. By late evening and around midnight it will appear higher in the sky, often taking on a warm, yellowish tint when near the horizon before setting in the west. Peak illumination occurs on Jan. 3 at 5:03 a.m. ET, when the Moon will be near full.

Why It’s a Supermoon

A supermoon happens when a full moon occurs near perigee — the Moon's closest point to Earth — making it look larger and brighter than a typical full moon. For this January event, the Moon will be roughly 226,000 miles from Earth, enhancing its apparent size and brightness for several nights.

Quadrantid Meteor Shower: What to Expect

The Quadrantid meteor shower is active from Dec. 28, 2025, through Jan. 12, 2026, and peaks on the night of Jan. 3–4. The Quadrantids are known for a short, intense peak that can produce many bright meteors and fireballs — observers sometimes report up to 200 bright meteors per hour during the brief maximum. The shower originates from the object 2003 EH1, an asteroid-like body that may be an inactive ("dead") comet with an orbital period of about 5.52 years.

Moonlight Will Dim the Show

Because the Wolf Supermoon is full and bright, it will wash out most fainter meteors. Expect to see only the brightest fireballs unless you are viewing from an exceptionally dark site and position yourself so the Moon is low or blocked by terrain or buildings. For better results, face away from the Moon and give your eyes at least 20–30 minutes to adapt to darkness.

Viewing Tips

• Best viewing times: late evening to predawn, with midnight and the hours before dawn typically most productive.
• Find a dark location away from city lights and allow your eyes to adjust for 20–30 minutes.
• Lie back and scan a wide area of sky rather than staring at a single point; meteors can appear anywhere overhead.
• If the Moon is too bright, use natural or artificial features to block it from your field of view.

Relevant Lunar Dates

• New Moon: Dec. 19, 2025
• First Quarter: Dec. 27, 2025
• Full Moon (Wolf Supermoon): Jan. 3, 2026 — Peak 5:03 a.m. ET
• Last Quarter: Jan. 10, 2026
• New Moon: Jan. 18, 2026
• First Quarter: Jan. 25, 2026

Supermoons sometimes occur in sequences of three or four consecutive months. This sequence began in September and concludes with January 2026; the next similar cycle of supermoons isn't expected until November 2026.

Quick Science: Meteor Showers and Radiants

A meteor shower happens when Earth passes through streams of debris (meteoroids) left by comets or asteroids. As these particles hit Earth's atmosphere at high speed they burn up and produce streaks of light (meteors) that appear to radiate from a single point in the sky called the radiant. The Quadrantids are named for the now-obsolete constellation Quadrans Muralis, but their radiant lies near the modern constellations of Boötes and Draco.

Note: The winter solstice occurs on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, bringing the shortest day of the year with about 9 hours and 17 minutes of daylight (for locations near mid-northern latitudes). For exact sunrise and sunset times at your location, consult a local almanac or an online calculator.

Article credit: Maria Francis, Pennsylvania-based reporter. Originally published on NorthJersey.com under the headline: "Here's when to view January's wolf supermoon, first full moon of 2026."