The first full moon of 2026 will be large and bright, although the cloudy skies forecast by the AEMET for the next few days may prevent it from being fully enjoyed. This supermoon, known in Native American culture as the Wolf Moon, will be visible on Saturday night, January 3, with Jupiter shining very close in the sky.
The phenomenon will open the year’s astronomical calendar with a larger and brighter-than-usual moon, at one of the few times in 2026 when the satellite will come so close to Earth.
The Wolf Moon will reach the exact full phase on January 3, 2026 at 11:03 AM CET (approximate noon on the peninsula, although it will appear full to the naked eye during the nights of the 2nd and 3rd). At that time, the moon will be around 362,000 kilometers from Earth, very close to its perigee, which makes it to be considered a supermoon: it will be approximately 6% larger and between 12 and 13% brighter than an average full moon.
How and from where to best observe it
Although the Wolf supermoon will be visible to the naked eye from anywhere with clear skies, specialists recommend moving away from light pollution to better appreciate its brightness and the details of seas and craters. The best times to enjoy the gigantic moon effect are at sunrise and sunset over the horizon, when the optical illusion that makes it appear even larger than it really is also intervenes.
Several lunar calendars agree that this will be the first supermoon of 2026 and one of the most outstanding of the year, since the next one will not arrive until the end of November, according to Star Walk.