Why is January’s full moon called the Wolf Moon?

Because the silent nights of deep winter let the howls of wolves carry far, more so in this season of territory and mating. The North American farmers’ almanacs fixed the name, which has become the best known of all the full-moon names.

When is the full moon in January?

The date changes every year: the lunar cycle lasts about 29.5 days and doesn’t line up with the calendar. The exact dates for the current lunation appear at the top of this page, and the next-full-moon page keeps the countdown.

Why does the winter full moon sit so high in the sky?

Because it sits opposite the sun: when the sun skims the horizon in winter, the moon takes the place the sun holds in summer, high in the south. It’s the reverse in June, when the full moon stays low.

Lunar calendar · January

The moon in January January

January gives the moon its finest stage: the longest nights of the year, skies often crisp once the cold sets in, and a full moon that climbs very high, opposite the low winter sun. The farmers’ almanacs call it the Wolf Moon. It’s a lunar month of quiet and retreat, perfect for taking up (or returning to) the habit of watching the sky.

The essentials

Traditional full moon: Wolf Moon: the howls that carried through the depths of winter, a name fixed by the North American farmers’ almanacs
Season: the heart of winter (northern hemisphere), the longest nights of the year
Keyword for the month: retreat
To watch for: the full moon rides very high, taking the summer sun’s place

What’s the lunar mood in January?

January is the month when the moon shows itself best. The nights are the longest of the year, the cold air is often drier and clearer, and the full moon climbs high into the sky: because it sits opposite the sun, in winter it takes the place the sun holds in summer. Its light carries far, especially on nights when snow throws it back.

It’s also a month when the moon keeps company with the small hours. Around the full moon it rises early in the evening, crosses the sky while everything sleeps, and sometimes lingers into the morning, pale against the blue. If you want to learn to recognize its phases, January is a wonderful place to start: the sky gives you all the time in the world to look.

Why the “Wolf Moon”?

The name comes from the North American farmers’ almanacs, which popularized full-moon names borrowed from Indigenous peoples and the rural traditions of Europe. In the depths of winter, the howls of wolves carried far through the silent nights: January’s full moon became theirs.

Science tells a slightly different story, and just as lovely a one. Wolves don’t howl at the moon: they howl to talk to one another, and winter is their season of territory and mating, so they howl more. In the cold air of a long night, sound travels. The name speaks less of the moon than of the stillness of January, deep enough that you can hear the wolves in it.

What gentle rituals suit this lunar month?

January invites you to draw inward, not to sink into gloomy hibernation: it’s the month of quiet beginnings. You might open a lunar journal and jot down, at each phase, a line about your energy or your mood. As the cycle turns, you’ll start to see patterns, or you won’t: that’s exactly the point of the game.

For sky-watching, aim for the full moon rising in late afternoon: in winter it happens early, and the show stays within reach of anyone who feels the cold, watched from a window. Tradition links this month to sorting through things and to setting an intention calmly; a candle, a written page, and you already have a small ritual.

And in the garden?

January is a month of rest and planning: you prune when there’s no frost, and dream up your sowing on paper; our January garden calendar lays out the jobs day by day.

The lunations of January (exact dates)

Calculated from the ephemeris, in London time, and rechecked every night. Each lunation has its own detailed page.

Frequently asked questions

Why is January’s full moon called the Wolf Moon?: Because the silent nights of deep winter let the howls of wolves carry far, more so in this season of territory and mating. The North American farmers’ almanacs fixed the name, which has become the best known of all the full-moon names.
When is the full moon in January?: The date changes every year: the lunar cycle lasts about 29.5 days and doesn’t line up with the calendar. The exact dates for the current lunation appear at the top of this page, and the next-full-moon page keeps the countdown.
Why does the winter full moon sit so high in the sky?: Because it sits opposite the sun: when the sun skims the horizon in winter, the moon takes the place the sun holds in summer, high in the south. It’s the reverse in June, when the full moon stays low.