Wolf Moon 2021: 5 Historical Facts of the First of Full Moon!

  • AUTHOR: admin
  • POSTED ON: January 29, 2021

28th January, 2021 is the day Full Wolf Moon rises! Discover the when, how, and what of the Full Wolf Moon below!


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So basically, the first Full Moon of the year, also known as Old Moon, Ice Moon, and even Moon after Yule, is named after howling wolves. This year, the Full Moon will be seen on Jan. 28, 2021 at 14:16 EST according to the information leaked by NASA.


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This isn’t the only full moon that you’ll see this year – it will be followed by Full Snow Moon, that will most likely be observed in February.


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We’ve provided five historical facts for you so that you know what Full Wolf Moon really is.

January Full Moon Is Known As Full Wolf Moon

The Old Farmer’s Almanac used full moon names that originated from a variety of places, like the Native America, Colonial America, and other European areas. You’d be surprised to know that initially, the full Moon name was apt for the entire lunar month – not just the day the full moon appeared.


Apparently, the name for January’s full moon was given because the wolves at the time howl more than usual. It is believed that the howling increases due to hunger, as it’s the time of winters. However, any person who has even a little bit of knowledge on wolves would tell you that they howl for other reasons.


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Howling is a way in which wolves declare their territories. They also howl to locate the missing members of their pack, to coordinate during hunt, and to reinforce social associations.

Other Names for Full Moon

In the old days, Assiniboine people used to refer to the full moon as Center Moon, as it used to mark the middle of the winter season.  In other cultures, the full moon of January is named Frost Exploding Moon, Cold Moon, Freeze Up Moon, Severe Moon, and hard Moon – to emphasize the coldness in the region.

Astronomical Information

Astronomers believe that the moon becomes full at a well-timed instant, i.e. when the moon is directly standing in opposition of the sun (180 degrees from the sin and in the ecliptic longitude). 


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On January 28, you can view the full moon in all its glory at 19:16 UTC. This will automatically mean that you can find it at 3:16 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time (AST), 2:16 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), 1:16 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST), 12:16 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST), 11:16 a.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST), 10:16 a.m. Alaska Standard Time (AKST) and 9:16 a.m. Hawaiian Standard Time (HST).


Astronomically speaking, the full moon can be seen when the elongation between the sun and the moon stands at 180 degrees precisely.

Full Moon in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere

In the Northern region, you can see the full moon in the night sky. It will look like the summer sun that you can find normally in the sky during day time. It will soar higher in the sky. In the North of the Arctic Circle, the moon will stay out for 24 hours – like a midnight sun of summer.


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In the Southern region, the full moon can be seen following the same path as the winter sun. At midnight, the moon will be seen a bit low in the northern sky. Far at the South of the Arctic Circle, the moon will be seen below the horizon for almost 24 hours.

Do Wolves Howl at the Moon?

Full moon – like cold moon, has been dramatized so much in our movies and TV series that we all expect a werewolf transformation at the sight of full moon. But the scientific community has some bad news for you: they have absolutely no recollection of the Moon phase playing any role in the cries of the wolves.


However, indisputably, they are nocturnal animals – which makes them more active in the night. And to give your Teen Wolf heart a little pat on the back, wolves howl directly at the Moon. Their faces are pointed in that direction, but it is done to project their howls upwards, as it helps in carrying sound farther away.


Hope you understood the facts of the first of full moon –wolf moon 2021.

 

 

Updated January 29, 2021
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