Everything you need to know about the Wolf Moon - first full moon of 2024

25 January 2024 , 16:58

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The moon will illuminate our skies as a full orb tonight (Image: Offside via Getty Images)

The first full moon of the year, known as the 'Wolf Moon', will be lighting up our skies tonight - but space enthusiasts and skygazers will have to keep an eye out at a specific time if they want to catch a glimpse.

While Wednesday's moon was almost full, tonight, the full moon will be completed. The Wolf Moon will be visible in the UK on Thursday, January 27 2024, at 5:54 pm GMT.

According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, a full moon occurs during its waxing (growing) and waning (shrinking) process. The moon is seen as a full orb because the entire side of the moon facing the Earth is lit up by the Sun's rays.

Why is it called the Wolf Moon?

Each full moon has a specific name depending on the month it rises. While the exact origins of its name aren't entirely clear, Medieval Europeans and a number of native American tribes call January's moon the 'Wolf Moon' because it is thought to refer to wolves howling more around this time of year due to a lack of food. In Anglo-Saxon tradition, it was called the 'Moon After Yule', while other European regions call it the 'Ice Moon' and the 'Old Moon'.

The name is thought to come from the howling of hungry wolves in January (Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock)

How to spot the Wolf Moon?

Lunar lovers hoping to catch a glimpse of the Wolf Moon tonight are advised to go to higher ground and get as far away from light pollution as possible. This is because the moon and stars will appear much brighter, the darker the sky. Tonight's Wolf Moon will be at its fullest at 5:54 pm GMT.

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For an even better view, those with visual aids such as binoculars or a telescope, can observe the lunar landscape in magnificent detail. The Wolf Moon will mark the moment the Moon’s Earth-facing side is fully lit up by the Sun. This causes it to reflect light back to Earth, giving us a crystal clear view of it.

When is the next full moon in 2024?

The next full moon will be in February, with peak illumination expected to show on Sunday, February 24, at 5:53pm localtime. February's moon is known as the 'Snow Moon.'

A full moon occurs every 29.5 days, which is the length of time it takes for the moon to go through one whole lunar phase cycle.

This roughly equates to one full moon per month, (or 12 a year), but some years will see two moons appear in the same month, and experience 13 full moons across the year. This phenomenon is known as a 'Blue Moon' - the last of which occurred in August 2023.

Zahra Khaliq