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First Of Two Full Moons In January This Year Happened Last Night, Called The Wolf Moon

Photo by Todd Bush

Todd Bush captured this picture of the full moon rising above Boone with a view of Howard’s Knob in the foreground yesterday evening. This January 1st full moon will be the first of two full moons in January this year, with the second full moon happening on January 31st. Yesterday’s full moon is referred to as the “Wolf Moon” apparently because wolves tend to howl a lot during the winter month of January. The January 31st is referred to as a “Blue Moon” – a name given to a 2nd full moon that happens in the same calendar month.

The January 31st full moon will also be a total lunar eclipse, the first total eclipse of a Blue Moon in 152 years. Unfortunately, the East Coast of the US will miss out on seeing this event as the eclipse starts taking place during moonset right before dawn in our part of the world. Central and eastern Asia, Indonesia, New Zealand and most of Australia will get a fine view of this moon show in the evening sky, as well as in Hawaii.