Why is January Full Moon called Wolf Moon, Moon after Yule, or Ice Moon - Interesting facts
The Full Wolf Moon, which occurs in January and is the year's first Full Moon, is named after the wolves that are active in the early months of the year.
At this time of year, the howling of wolves was often heard. So it got its name from howling wolves.
The name is believed to have originated in Celtic and Old English and was carried to North America by European settlers.
Whatever the origin of the name Wolf Moon, wolves howl to communicate over long distances in both North America and Europe.
It is a way of signalling to the rest of the pack, "Here I am," or to outsiders, "Stay away."
While a single wolf's howl typically lasts 3 to 7 seconds, a chorus by a pack can last 30 to 120 seconds or longer during the breeding season in January - February.
So wolves are especially loud and vocal throughout the first few months of the year, which is perhaps why the month of January has been associated with howling wolves.
Moon after Yule
In Anglo-Saxon culture, the full moon of January was also known as the "Moon after Yule". Europeans called this the "Moon after Yule".
In pre-Christian Europe, Yule was a three-day winter solstice festival that was usually observed around December 21.
Ice Moon
Another name for the January Moon is the Ice Moon, which emphasises the harsh and freezing cold of the season.
In 2023, the wolf Moon occurs on January 6. That is, the next full Moon will occur on Friday, January 6, 2023, at 6:08 PM EST or 11:08 PM UTC (23:08 GMT).