On Thursday, January 25, 2024, at 12:54 PM EST, people will witness the year's first full moon also known as the Wolf Moon.
It would be the second full moon of winter 2023-2024 as the December full moon happened after the winter solstice.
The 2024 Wolf Moon will be at an approximate distance of 247,772.93 miles from Earth.
Wolf Moon also marks the mid-winter and winter transition from spring and animals returning from hibernation.
Why It Is Known As Wolf Moon
The name 'Wolf Moon' originated from Native Americans as they heard wolves howling the most during the winter nights when the moon reached its peak illumination.
For centuries, they have been referring to it as Wolf Moons. It is also believed that wolves howl more during this time of the year because of food scarcity and hunger.
Alternative Names For The Wolf Moon
- Center Moon: The Assiniboine people from the Northern Great Plains gave this name as it marks the middle of the winter season.
- Moon After Yule: In ancient English calendars, it is also known as Moon after Yule as this is the first full moon after the winter solstice.
- Spirit Moon: It is freezing and dark in the Northern parts during this time. So, they take this time to honor the void and space and that's why they call it the spirit moon.
Other than these, the wolf moon is also known as the ice moon, the old moon, the cold moon, the frost exploding moon, the freeze-up moon, the severe moon, hard moon.
What To Read Next
The next full moon will take place in February and it is known as the Snow Moon
You might also enjoy reading about the names of the 12 moons in a year.
Know more about the Full Moon Dates of 2024
