Earth has one full moon per month most of the time. But sometimes, Earth is treated with a second full moon of the month or four times in a season. Each of these full moons has its names given by ancient cultures from many places to mark a specific season.
The first full moon of 2022, called the Wolf Moon, will become visible when the US observes the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. Here's what stargazers, astronomy enthusiasts guide on how to prepare to see the full moon this month.
A so-called wolf moon rises over Glastonbury Tor on January 11, 2017, in Somerset, England. In some parts of the world, the January full moon is nicknamed the wolf moon, which dates back to the days when native American tribes gave names to each month's full moon to help keep track of the seasons.
Wolf Moon: When, Where, and How to Watch 2022's First Full Moon
Wolf Moon is said to rise on the night sky on Monday, January 17, from the northeastern horizon at 6:48 pm and peak illumination at 6:51 pm. According to NASA, it will become visible to the naked eye for three days starting on Sunday evening, January 16, to Wednesday, January 19.
Moreover, Live Science reported that the full moon will come near the moon's apogee or the point where it is the farthest from Earth on its elliptical orbit at about 251,655 miles (405,000 kilometers) away.
With the passage of the winter solstice, the days are now becoming longer, although there are still chances to watch the full moon. NASA said that evening twilight will end at 6:14 pm EST on the day the full moon rises to set the stage for the beautiful full moon. It can be seen near the bright star Pollux, part of the constellation Gemini.
Meanwhile, skywatchers in North America will also see Jupiter above the southwestern horizon and catch a glimpse of Saturn at the right part of the night sky near Jupiter for about 15 minutes before twilight ends.
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How Did Wolf Moon Get Its Name?
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, full moon names come from different cultures in various places, including North America, Colonial America, and even in European sources. The names are usually applied to the whole lunar month and not just on the full moon itself.
The name Wolf Moon is thought to come from the wolves howling this time because it was traditionally known that they howl due to hunger during winter. Aside from that, wolves howl for many other reasons like marking their territory, locating pack members, coordinating hunting, and reinforcing social bonds.
So, aside from being called the Wolf Moon, the full moon in January is also called the Center Moon by the Assiniboine people of the Northern Great Plains to mark the middle of the cold season.
Other traditional names also emphasize the harsh winter season, such as Cold Moon, Frost Exploding Moon, Freeze Up Moon, and Sever Moon. While the Hard Moon describes the phenomenon of the falling snow creating a hard crust of snow.
More so, names such as Canada Goose Moon, Great Moon, Greeting Moon, and Spirit Moon were also recorded to call the first full moon of the year.
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