The next full moon will rise in constellation Gemini this week — amid the peak of the Quadrantid meteor shower — and shine all weekend. Here's when and what to know about the January 2026 wolf supermoon and it's orange glow.
January's supermoon will appear larger and brighter than any typical full moon as it will orbit closer to Earth and shine bright for several days. It will be the first of three supermoons in 2026, with the other two coming at the end of the year.
The wolf supermoon will rise in the east around sunset on Friday and Saturday nights, Jan. 2-3 and by midnight it will glow larger with a bright yellowish hue overhead before disappearing into the western horizon.
The full January supermoon will rise on the same weekend that the Quadrantids meteor shower peaks, capable of producing over 100 meteor fireballs per hour.
Here's everything to know about the next full moon and exciting meteor showers' peak display to watch for in January.
Why is the moon orange tonight?
The orange glow of the moon tonight is really just an illusion of color as the moon's light travels through more of the Earth's atmosphere when it is low on the horizon. This week's full moon rising will be the last bright, large supermoon until November of 2026.
When is the next full moon? Full moon January 2026
The next full moon will be the January wolf supermoon, set to rise, Saturday, Jan 3, with peak illumination at 5:03 a.m. ET. It will rise low on the horizon and like the December cold moon, it will rise around the same time for several nights.
What is a supermoon?
A supermoon happens when the moon's orbit is closest to the Earth at the same time the moon is full. According to NASA, at approximately 226,000 miles from Earth, the full moon appears brighter and larger than a regular full moon, hence the term supermoon.
Because supermoons are closer to the Earth than normal, the illusion is that they appear larger and brighter.
Supermoons come in three and fours, consecutively. This year it started with October and ends in January 2026; the next cycle of full moons will not come again until November of 2026.
Why is it called the wolf moon?
The year's first full moon is best known as the wolf moon since wolves’ howls are more likely to be heard and most active during winter, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
Wolves typically howl as a social rally call, a hail to hunt or as a territorial expression, according to the Smithsonian.
Full moon names have long been tied to early Native American, Colonial American and European folklore, according to the Almanac.
What is a meteor shower?
A meteor shower is celestial event that happens when Earth passes through the path of a comet or the trail of debris left by a comet or asteroid during its orbit around the sun. The debris is called meteoroids.
Meteoroids enter the Earth's atmosphere at high speeds and burn up, streaking the sky with bright moving lights, like a "shooting star" from what appears to be a single point in the sky, called the radiant. They range in size from dust-like particles to boulder size.
These meteor showers are named for the constellation where the meteors appear to be coming from.
The best time of day to see a meteor shower is around midnight against a dark sky, according to Space.com, it's best to go to the "darkest possible location, and wait about 30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark."
When to watch the 2026 Quadrantid meteor shower peak?
The Quadrantid meteor shower will kickoff on Dec. 28, 2025 and run through Jan. 12, 2026, peaking on the night of Jan. 3-4, according to NASA, with the best time to watch around midnight.
The Quadrantids are known for producing up to 200 very bright fireball meteors per hour during its peak, within a very short window of up six hours. They are best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere during the night and predawn hours.
This meteor shower originates from an asteroid 2003 EH1, which takes 5.52 years to orbit the sun, according to NASA, which also state it "is possible that 2003 EH is a "dead comet" or a "rock comet."
The view during this year's Quadrantid meteor shower peak will be hindered by the bright moonlight of the full January wolf supermoon. It is likely to obscure all but the very brightest of Quadrantid meteors that night.
What is the current moon phase?
???? First Quarter: Dec. 27???? Full Moon: Jan. 3???? Last Quarter: Jan. 10???? New Moon: Jan. 18???? First Quarter: Jan. 25
Maria Francis is a Pennsylvania-based journalist who covers trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic region.