The first supermoon of 2026 is almost here. Set to be visible on the night of January 3, during this time, the moon will appear 30 per cent brighter, 14 per cent larger than the most distant full moon of the year. It will be visible in India shortly after sunset in the evening.
Not only will the moon appear larger and brighter, but it will also take on an orange-yellow hue, sitting around 362,641 km away from the Earth.
A “supermoon” occurs when a full Moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to Earth in its orbit, a point known as perigee.
Skywatchers around the world will be able to witness the Supermoon reach its peak at 5:30 am EST (4 pm IST) on January 3, space.com reported.
In India, the best views will come at the moonrise on January 3, and the skywatchers can see it after the sunset at around 5:45 pm-6 pm IST. During this time, the moon will appear 362,641 km away and will be seen in its full phase, according to the NASA website
Further, this supermoon will be visible at different local times across the world. In New York, it will be visible at 5:30 am EST, in London at 10:03 am GMT, in Tokyo at 7:30 pm, and in Sydney at 9:03 pm local time.
The moon will also appear in an orange-yellow hue after the sits closer to the horizon. It will appear bigger due to a phenomenon called the "moon illusion", a visual effect that makes low-hanging moons seem oversized.
January's full moon is also known as Wolf Moon due to the Northern Hemisphere folklore referencing wolves that howl during the long winter nights. It also goes by the name “Moon after Yule.”
This supermoon can be viewed without any special equipment. However, to identify details on the moon, a telescope or binoculars can be used.
Curated by Aisha Patel
