Overview
- The January full moon reached maximum illumination at 5:03 a.m. ET Saturday, kicking off 2026 with the year’s first supermoon.
- The event occurs near lunar perigee and is among the three closest full moons of the year, according to NASA scientist Noah Petro.
- The Quadrantids’ official peak falls between 4 and 7 p.m. ET Saturday, though observers are advised to watch from midnight to dawn.
- Experts recommend finding a dark site, facing northeast with the Moon at your back, where up to roughly five meteors per hour may be visible.
- The meteors radiate from the former constellation Quadrans Muralis near Boötes, and the so‑called “wolf moon” name stems from winter traditions recorded in North America.