The first full moon of 2022 rose on the evening of January 17. According to NASA, the “Wolf Moon,” as referred to by the Farmer’s Almanac, will be fully visible to the naked eye for three days from Sunday evening (January 16) to Wednesday morning (January 19).
In the West, the first full moon of 2022 is called the “Wolf Moon”.
For those in Asia following the lunar calendar, this is the last full moon of 2021, while in Europe, it is considered the first full moon of 2022. The next new moon on February 1 will mark the beginning of the year 2022 according to the Chinese calendar.
This full moon also coincides with the final day of the Shakambari Navratri festival in the Hindu calendar, celebrating the goddess Shakambari, who symbolizes nourishment. Meanwhile, for the Tamil Hindus, the full moon marks the occasion of the Thaipusam festival, which commemorates the Hindu god of war’s victory over the demon Soorapadman.
This full moon also occurs near the lunar apogee, the point at which the moon is farthest from Earth in its elliptical orbit.
On the day of the full moon, twilight will end at 6:14 PM, paving the way for an impressive full moon appearance half an hour later. The bright star Pollux, part of the Gemini constellation, will be visible near the full moon.
Skywatchers in North America will also be able to see Jupiter above the southwestern horizon, and they might catch a glimpse of Saturn, as the moon will nearly pass over the horizon to the right of Jupiter for about 15 minutes after sunset.
