Why is the Wolf Moon 🐺 So Eerie?

Written By team contributor

So, did you see it? On second thought, how could you miss the bright, full, and low-hanging moon?

It looked like a ripe cantaloupe playing ball with the tops of homes as it rose in a blaze of tangerine-colored glory.

In January, the first full moon is called the Wolf Moon. It used to be thought that wolves howled the most in the colder winter months because of hunger. 

Yet, The Old Farmer's Almanac explained wolves often howl to define territory, find their pack, strengthen social bonds (like tagging someone on social media) and huddle for hunting. So, the name stuck, even if the folklore was myth busted.

The Wolf Moon has many nicknames, including the Freeze Moon, the Frost Exploding Moon, and the Cold Moon.

Here’s the 2022 full moon schedule, according to NASA

  • Wolf Moon: Monday, Jan. 17

  • Snow Moon: Wednesday, Feb. 16

  • Worm Moon: Friday, March 18

  • Pink Moon: Saturday, April 16

  • Flower Moon: Monday, May 16 (total lunar eclipse)

  • Strawberry Moon: Tuesday, June 14 (supermoon) 🌕

  • Buck Moon: Wednesday, July 13 (supermoon) 🌕

  • Sturgeon Moon: Thursday, Aug. 11

  • Harvest Moon: Saturday, Sept. 10

  • Hunter's Moon: Sunday, Oct. 9

  • Beaver Moon: Tuesday, Nov. 8 (total lunar eclipse)

  • Cold Moon: Wednesday, Dec. 7

We hope you had a cosmic night, but if not, you get eleven more chances this year.

team contributor
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