Wolf Moon 2026: First supermoon of the year lights up the sky
The first supermoon of 2026—called the Wolf Moon—hits its brightest on January 3 at 5:03am ET.
This is when the moon swings closest to Earth, so it looks bigger and shines extra bright.
Bonus: this supermoon lines up with the Quadrantids meteor shower, making for a pretty epic night sky.
When and how to catch it
Look east around sunset on January 2 or early January 3 to see the Wolf Moon looking its largest near the horizon (that's thanks to a cool "moon illusion" effect).
The show gets even better with Jupiter glowing nearby, Saturn hanging out in the southwest, and Orion shining bright.
For those in India, watch for moonrise between 5:45-6:00pm IST on January 2.
The best views are at sunset or sunrise when colors are warmest—so grab your friends and don't miss it!