Full Moon January 2023: The Full Wolf Moon
Mark your calendars for the next January 2023 Full Moon. The next January full moon is Friday January 6, 2023 6:08 PM EST or 11:08 PM UTC based on the data provided by NASA. It will be the first full moon of 2023.
A full moon occurs when the Earth is directly between the Sun and Moon so that the moon looks completely illuminated when you look at it. It happens about once a month or, 29.53 days on average.
Ready to dive a little deeper into the January 2023 Full Moon? Learn more about the moon’s nicknames and other facts about it.
The dates and times provided by NASA in the United States Eastern Time (ET) account for both Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) for part of the year in the United States. Also below is the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) time. This was previously referred to as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Since you may be in a different time zone, the exact dates may shift slightly for your calendar.
When is the full moon in January 2023?
The full moon in January will be on Friday January 6, 2023 6:08 PM EST or 11:08 PM UTC. The January 6th full moon will be the first full moon of 2023 and the full moon in Cancer.
What is the January 2023 Full Moon named?
The January 2023 full moon is commonly referred to as the Full Wolf Moon, named for wolves howling at the moon.
It’s also been referred to as the Ice Moon, Old Moon, Moon After Yule, and Snow Moon. Sometimes full moon names overlap and the Snow Moon name is commonly used to refer to the February full moon.
Which season includes the January Full Moon?
In 2023, the January Full Moon will be the first full moon of the winter 2022-2023 season. It will be the first full moon after the Winter Solstice in 2022.
The Winter Solstice marks the first day of winter and is the shortest day of the year when the Earth is tilted as far away from the sun as it will be all year.
In 2022, the Winter Solstice will be Wednesday December 21, 2022 4:48 PM ET or 9:48 PM UTC.
When is the new moon for the 2023 Full Wolf Moon?
The lunar cycle for the January Full Moon will begin with its new moon in 2022. The New Wolf Moon will be on Friday December 23, 2022 5:17 AM EST or 10:17 AM UTC and will be in the new moon in Capricorn. It will also be a supermoon.
The new moon that will occur in January 2023 will be the start of the lunar cycle of the February full moon.
Will there be a full supermoon in January 2023?
No, the full moon in January 2023 will not be a full supermoon as it will be more than 360,000 kilometers away during the peak of the full moon. The year will have 2 supermoons in August and 2 additional full supermoons depending on the definition you use.
A full supermoon is a full moon that nearly coincides with the closest point that the Moon comes to the Earth in its orbit, called perigee. The moon has a larger-than-usual appearance when you look at it. There isn’t an official definition for how close the moon must be to the Earth to be considered a supermoon. Depending on the version you use, the moon needs to be approximately 360,000 kilometers from the Earth or closer.
Will there be a lunar eclipse during the January Full Moon?
No there will not be a lunar eclipse during the full moon in January 2023. In the future, there will be an eclipse during the first full moon of the year.
In 2023 there will be two lunar eclipses during the year. The May Full Moon will have a penumbral lunar eclipse and there will be a partial lunar eclipse during the October Full Moon.
January 2023 Moon Phases in Eastern Time and UTC
Below are the lunar phases for January 2023 including the new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter that are on the schedule for each month. The date and times are based on both the United States Eastern Time Zone and UTC, adjusted for daylight saving time.
| Lunar Phase | US Eastern Date & Time | UTC Date & Time |
|---|---|---|
| January Full Moon | January 6, 2023 6:08 PM EST | January 6, 2023 11:08 PM UTC |
| January Last Quarter | January 14, 2023 9:10 PM EST | January 15, 2023 2:10 AM UTC |
| January New Moon | January 21, 2023 3:53 PM EST | January 21, 2023 8:53 PM UTC |
| January First Quarter | January 28, 2023 10:19 AM EST | January 28, 2023 3:19 PM UTC |
Future January Full Moons
Are you wondering when the January Full Moons will occur in the future? Here’s a list for the next few years. Here’s a list of the Full Wolf Moons up to 2029.
| Year | Day of the week | Future January Full Moons |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Friday | January 6, 2023 6:08 PM EST |
| 2024 | Thursday | January 25, 2024 12:54 EST |
| 2025 | Monday | January 13, 2025 5:27 PM EST |
| 2026 | Saturday | January 3, 2026 5:03 AM EST |
| 2027 | Friday | January 22, 2027 7:17 AM EST |
| 2028 | Tuesday | January 11, 2028 11:03 PM EST |
| 2029 | Tuesday | January 30, 2029 1:03 AM EST |
Past January Full Moons
And what about the past? Here is when the full moon occurred in the past for January.
Because January has 31 days, sometimes it has a blue moon. In the recent past, January 2018 had 2 full moons that month. The January 2018 blue moon fell on January 31st because there was also a full moon on January 1st. 2018 started off the year with a full moon.
| Year | Day of the week | Past January Full Moons |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Monday | January 17, 2022 6:48 PM EST |
| 2021 | Thursday | January 28, 2021 2:16 PM EST |
| 2020 | Friday | January 10, 2020 2:21 PM EST |
| 2019 | Monday | January 21, 2019 12:12 AM EST |
| 2018 | Wednesday | January 31, 2018 8:27 AM EST (blue) |
| 2018 | Monday | January 1, 2018 9:24 PM EST |
| 2017 | Thursday | January 12, 2017 6:34 AM EST |
| 2016 | Saturday | January 23, 2016 8:46 PM EST |
| 2015 | Sunday | January 4, 2015 11:53 PM EST |
Frequently Asked Questions
Have additional questions about the January Full Moons? Here are a few of the frequently asked questions to help you.
In 2023, there will be one full moon in January. The January Full Moon will be on Friday January 6, 2023 at 6:08 PM EST or 11:08 PM UTC. There are other years with 2 full moons, with the second called a blue moon, but not for 2023.
The January 2022 Full Moon was on Monday January 17, 2022 6:48 PM EST or 11:48 PM UTC. This will be the first full moon of the Winter 2021-2022 season as the December 2021 full moon occurred before the Winter Solstice the previous month.
The January 2021 Full Moon was on Thursday, January 28, 2021 14:16 EST or 19:16 UTC. This will be the second full moon of the Winter 2020-2021 season as the December 2020 full moon occurred after the Winter Solstice the previous month.
The January 2020 Full Moon was on Friday January 10, 2020 14:21 EST or 19:21 UTC. It was the first full moon of the Winter 2020-2021 season because the December 2019 full moon occurred before the Winter Solstice in 2019.
Future Full Moon Calendars
And if you’re looking for when the full moon occurs for the rest of the year, check out these future full moon calendars.
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