Skygazers can enjoy a special treat this Saturday morning. January's full moon – known as the Wolf Moon – is also a supermoon. It will appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than usual. The Met Office forecasts clear skies for most of the country, making the event "visible for most people" when the moon reaches peak fullness around 10am.
But viewers will need to dress warmly, warns Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge. Temperatures will be around zero degrees in many areas by 10am, with only slightly milder conditions of three or four degrees in west Wales and south-west England. "For many places, if you're in west Wales and south-west England, there's probably the mildest temperatures [...] but for many of us, temperatures will be around zero by 10 o'clock in the morning so it will be a very cold start – so there's probably still going to be a fair bit of frost on the ground, even at that time in the morning tomorrow", he said.
Weather conditions
Some areas will face challenges viewing the supermoon. South-west England, west Wales and Northern Ireland will see considerable cloud and wintry showers, while Northern Scotland will experience continued snow showers and cloudy skies. But Partridge remains optimistic about visibility: "Elsewhere, there should be plenty of sunshine around so it should be visible to most of the country. [...] So very chilly, but very clear and very sunny – so if you wrap up warm, it'll be good to get out and see it."
What makes it special
A supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with the moon's closest approach to Earth in its orbit. This proximity makes it appear significantly larger and brighter compared to when the moon is at its furthest point from Earth.
People often call the January full moon the Wolf Moon, a name inspired by what people traditionally observed in nature. "The January full moon is often called the Wolf Moon, a name inspired by wolves that people thought roamed during the long winter nights", explained Jess Lee, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. "Every full moon throughout the year has its own unique nickname."
Easy viewing
Observers don't need any special preparations to enjoy the spectacle. Lee emphasized the accessibility of the event: "You don't need any special equipment or to escape light pollution to enjoy the view, it's a beautiful sight in cities and rural areas alike."
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
