Overview
- The first full moon of 2026 reaches its exact phase at 11:03 CET on January 3, with near-full views on the nights before and after.
- It qualifies as a supermoon because the Moon is near perigee at roughly 362,312 kilometers, while Earth's perihelion slightly increases the received sunlight.
- Germany’s weather service forecasts thick cloud, snow showers and icy conditions across parts of North Rhine–Westphalia on Friday night into Saturday, limiting visibility.
- The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks in the first half of January 3, but the bright full Moon and cloud cover will likely wash out most meteors.
- The January full moon’s “Wolf Moon” name stems from North American Indigenous traditions, with historical German names including Hartmond and Eismond.