The first full moon of 2025, known as the Wolf Moon, will peak on January 13, 2025. This full moon will be visible from the continental United States, Mexico, Canada, and western Africa, and it will also pass in front of Mars, creating a rare astronomical event. Mars will emerge from behind the moon at 10:37 p.m. during this event, offering stargazers a special viewing opportunity.
Why is it called the Wolf Moon?
The Wolf Moon gets its name from the Native American tradition, where it was believed that wolves would howl more frequently during the cold winter months. This howl was traditionally thought to signify hunger, although modern science tells us that wolves typically howl for social reasons, to rally the pack, or to mark their territory.
The Wolf Moon is also referred to as the Center Moon by the Assiniboine people of the Northern Great Plains, symbolizing the approximate middle of winter. Other Native American names for this full moon include:
- Frost Exploding Moon (Cree)
- Freeze Up Moon (Algonquin)
- Severe Moon (Dakota)
- Hard Moon (Dakota)
- Canada Goose Moon (Tlingit)
- Great Moon (Cree)
- Greetings Moon (Western Abenaki)
- Spirit Moon (Ojibwe)
When will other full moons occur in 2025?
Here are the dates and Native American names for the remaining full moons of 2025:
- Snow Moon – February 12, 2025
- Worm Moon – March 14, 2025
- Pink Moon – April 12, 2025
- Flower Moon – May 12, 2025
- Strawberry Moon – June 11, 2025
- Buck Moon – July 10, 2025
- Sturgeon Moon – August 9, 2025
- Corn Moon – September 7, 2025
- Harvest Moon – October 6, 2025
- Beaver Moon – November 5, 2025
- Cold Moon – December 4, 2025
Supermoons in 2025
There will be six supermoons in 2025, which occur when a full moon coincides with the moon’s closest approach to Earth, known as perigee. During a supermoon, the moon appears about 30% brighter and 14% larger than a typical full moon. The dates for the supermoons in 2025 are:
- March 29, 2025
- April 27, 2025
- May 26, 2025
- October 7, 2025
- November 5, 2025
- December 4, 2025
