The January full moon is called the Wolf Full Moon. It cannot be said that this is the night when wolves behave in any particular way, but we can say that this time we will see unusually bright Mars next to the Moon, and in some places, our satellite will even cover it.
The January Full Moon
The year’s first full moon is traditionally called the Wolf Full Moon. This year it will take place on the night of January 13-14. In some countries, it will be better to observe it in the first half of the night, in some – in the second. In addition, in some areas, it will be possible to see how our satellite is covering the extremely bright planet Mars now.
The name “Wolf Full Moon” or “Wolf Moon” came to us from the United States, where it has been actively used for many years. In general, it should be said that in the United States, each full moon has its name. It is traditionally believed that their source is the folklore of the native peoples of North America.
As for the Wolf Full Moon specifically, its name is attributed to the fact that supposedly at this time wolves howl especially hard, or especially loud, or just obligingly. However in fact these animals make the corresponding sounds whenever they want because this is the main way of their communication at a great distance.
Where did the name “Wolf Full Moon” come from?
The first source to mention “Wolf Full Moon” and the rest of the names now in use is the Old Farmer’s Almanac. This is an extremely venerable publication in terms of age, founded in 1792. At that time, a large part of the population of the United States lived in the countryside, and it was for them that this almanac was intended. By the way, it is still published to this day.
The book was published once a year and contained weather forecasts, simple astronomical data on the phase of the Moon and the visibility of stars, tables of when to plant certain plants, farming tips, recipes and other important things in the life of peasants.
It was there in the 1930s that the names that can still be found today, including “Wolf Moon,” began to be used to describe each full moon of the year. The authors argued that these names were folk names, developed among American farmers based on both the traditions that had come with their ancestors from Europe and those that had been borrowed from the native people.
The “Indian” version is now recognized as the mainstream version. Although there are big problems with it. The fact is that among the native peoples of North America, no one can point to the one that would call the full moon exactly Wolf Moon. Predominantly folklore names gravitate to “cold” and “frost”.
As for the European origin, it is also doubtful. For the Celtic people, this full moon is called “Quiet” or “Stay at Home”. And for the Germanic people, which include the Anglo-Saxons and numerous German colonists in North America, it was the “Full Moon after Yule”, that is, after the festival celebrated at the winter solstice. And this is all assuming that all of these names have survived centuries of Christianity’s cultural influence.
Therefore, it is possible that the publishers of Old Farmer’s Almanac simply made up all these titles. It was in the 1930s that the publication went through difficult times, conducted risky experiments and almost closed down. But the names eventually caught on.
The full moon and Mars
In 2025, the Wolf Full Moon will occur at 10:27 p.m. UTC (5:27 p.m. UTC-5) on January 13. The Moon at this time will be located in the constellation Gemini near its brightest stars, Castor and Pollux. Red and very bright Mars will also be nearby.
The fourth planet from the Sun is now approaching its opposition, the point at which Earth will be between it and the Sun. This moment will come on January 16, and on this night the brilliance of Mars will reach -1.4m, that is, it will be brighter than Sirius.
However, Mars will also look very beautiful during the Wolf Full Moon. Together with the Moon, they will rise above the horizon before the Sun sets. Therefore, their journey can be watched throughout the night. The maximum phase of the full moon in Ukraine will be observed at 10:27 p.m. UTC (5:27 p.m. UTC-5) on January 14.
In London, the time is the same as universal time. The Moon and Mars will also rise at the same time here shortly before sunset, and they will also be visible throughout the night. However, the maximum phase will come here in the evening of January 13, so you will not have to stay up too long waiting for the observation.
But on the east coast of the USA, everything will be much more interesting. In New York City, the maximum phase of the full moon will occur at 10:27 p.m. UTC (5:27 p.m. UTC-5) on January 13. The Sun will have just dropped below the horizon, and the Moon will still be rising above the horizon. But on the same night in New York, you can observe not only the approach of Mars to the Moon but also its coverage. The red planet will disappear behind the disk of our satellite at 2:21 a.m. UTC (9:21 p.m. UTC-5).
This phenomenon will be seen throughout the United States and in West Africa. To find out the exact coverage time for your area, visit this resource: https://ssp.imcce.fr/forms/occultations/499/301/2025-01-14G.
