January Full Moon 2026 on January 3rd

The January 2026 Full Moon was on Saturday, January 3. It was the first full moon of 2026.

A full moon occurs when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon, so the moon looks completely illuminated. It happens about once a month or 29.53 days on average, also called a  synodic month.

Ready to dive a little deeper into the January Full Moon of 2026? Learn more about the moon’s nicknames and other facts about it.

Take a look back at 2026’s January full moon

The January Full Moon was on Saturday, January 3rd. It was the first full moon of the year.

The January 3 Full Moon was the first full moon of Winter as the first to occur after the 2025 Winter Solstice. Depending on the December Full Moon in the previous year, the full moon in January is either the first or second full moon of Winter.

When was the full moon in January for 2026?

The peak of the January full moon was 5:03 AM EST on January 3rd. The moon looked fairly full the day before and after. The January 3 Full Moon was the full moon in Cancer.

Related: Learn more about the January Full Moon in 2027.

Names for the January Full Moon 

The January 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.

Was there a lunar eclipse in January during the full moon?

No, there was not be a lunar eclipse during the January full moon in 2026. The March full moon and August Full Moon will each have a Total Lunar Eclipse, also called a Blood Moon.

Was there a full supermoon in January?

Yes, there was a full supermoon in January. The other 2026 super full moons will be during the November Full Moon and December Full Moon.

A full supermoon is a full moon that nearly coincides with the closest point at which the Moon comes to Earth in its orbit, called perigee. The moon will have a larger-than-usual appearance. There isn’t an official definition of the exact distance the moon needs to be to be called a supermoon. It’s approximately 360,000 kilometers or closer, depending on the definition.

Moon Phases in January 2026

Below are the four core moon phases that will occur in January, including the new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter. The lunar cycle for the full moon started in December and ends in January.

Phase	Date & Time	Season
January Full Moon 2026	Sat, January 3, 5:03 a.m. EST	Winter
January Last Quarter	Sat, January 10, 10:48 a.m. EST	Winter
January New Moon 2026	Sun, January 18, 2:52 p.m. EST	Winter
January First Quarter	Sun, January 25, 11:47 p.m. EST	Winter