Don’t miss the first full moon of 2023. When to catch a glimpse in southwest Illinois
The first full moon of 2023 will rise Friday, Jan. 6, and it’s known as the Wolf Moon, the Ice Moon and other names.
The celestial event will be a micromoon, as the full moon will be at its farthest point from Earth. Micromoons appear dimmer than supermoons, which occur when the full moon is at its closest point in orbit to Earth.
January’s full moon is called the “Wolf” moon because wolves are typically active in mid-winter. Moon names often come from Indigenous and European tradition.
Here’s what to know about 2023’s first full moon, plus when to look for other celestial events throughout the year. There will be 13 full moons in 2023, including four supermoons and one Blue moon.
When can you see the Wolf moon in Belleville and St. Louis?
The Wolf moon will become full around 5:09 p.m. Central Standard Time Friday, but Forbes recommends watching the skies Saturday evening instead as the sunset won’t interfere as much.
The sun will set at 4:54 p.m. in Belleville Saturday and the moon will rise at 5:29 p.m. In St. Louis, the sun will set at 4:55 p.m. and the moon will rise at 5:30 p.m.
Depending on weather and light pollution, you should be able to see the full moon any time after dark Saturday.
When to see more full moons in 2023
If you miss the Wolf moon Friday and Saturday, you’ll have 12 more chances to see a full moon in 2023. Four will be supermoons, and one will be a Blue moon.
Here’s this year’s full moon calendar, with information from Space.com:
Jan. 6: Wolf moon
Feb. 6: Snow moon
March 7: Worm moon
April 6: Pink moon
May 5: Flower moon
June 3: Strawberry moon
July 3: Buck supermoon
Aug. 1: Sturgeon supermoon
Aug. 30: Blue supermoon (appears biggest and brightest of the year)
Sept. 29: Harvest supermoon
Oct. 28: Hunter’s moon
Nov. 27: Beaver moon
Dec. 26: Cold moon
The Blue supermoon will be August’s second full moon, and Forbes says the best times to see it will be the evenings of Aug. 30 and Aug. 31.
These moons have multiple names, and many come from Indigenous cultures. The Farmers’ Almanac uses Indigenous moon names, along with monikers from colonial America and other North American sources.
