A Full 'Wolf Moon' Will Shine Over Canada This Week & It's The First Of 2024
Here's the best time to see it. 👇🌕
A full moon in the sky.
Look up! The first full moon of 2024 will shine over Canada this week, and you'll want to get ready to howl.
A Full Wolf Moon will rise in the sky, reaching peak illumination this week. The moon will kick off a year filled with many can't-miss celestial events, including a total solar eclipse.
Here's what to know about January's Full Wolf Moon, including when you should look for it and how it got its name.
The Full Wolf Moon will reach peak illumination on the night of Thursday, January 25, 2024.
This will be 2024's first full moon, which is a celestial phenomenon that occurs when the moon is located on the exact opposite side of Earth from the sun and is entirely illuminated by the sun's rays, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
Why is it called a Full Wolf Moon?
So why is it called a "wolf moon?" According to the Almanac, it's thought that January’s full moon got the name "wolf moon" because wolves were more likely to be heard howling at the time it would be seen in the sky.
Other names for the moon include the "Cold Moon" and the "Freeze Up Moon," which seem to emphasize the coldness of the month the moon is seen.
If you want to see the moon for yourself, the moon will rise from the eastern horizon around sunset on January 25.
By midnight, the Wolf Moon will glow bright and round at its highest point in the night sky, and will disappear into the western horizon by sunrise.
Depending on where you are in the country, the moon may rise and reach its highest point at slightly different times.
In Toronto, the moon will rise at 5:08 p.m. ET and reach its highest point by 12:10 a.m., according to the Almanac's moonrise times calculator.
Unfortunately, dense fog across Ontario that's expected to persist into Thursday could make it difficult to spot the moon.
The Full Wolf Moon precedes a year of spectacular celestial events you won't want to miss, like April's total solar eclipse and several dazzling meteor showers.
The full moon is one of the few astronomy events of the winter, however, as there aren't many meteor showers or other events throughout the season, according to AccuWeather.
You'll want to keep your eyes on the skies in the coming months, though, as there will be plenty going on in the cosmos, including supermoons, comet sightings and one of the best meteor showers of the year.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.