Wolf Moon 2027: Date, Time and a Leo Courage Ritual
The first full moon of 2027 is the closest of the year and the last of three supermoons, exact on the morning of Friday, January 22. Times for every US zone, moonrise for nine cities, Thursday or Friday, what the Leo full moon means, the wolf name explained and a short courage ritual.
The Wolf Moon 2027 is the first full moon of the year and the last of three supermoons in a row, exact on the morning of Friday, January 22. That timing makes the real question which night to go out: Thursday or Friday. Here are the times for every US zone and nine cities, what the Leo full moon means, where the wolf name comes from, and a short courage ritual for the first big moon of the year.
Contents
The Wolf Moon 2027 is full on Friday, January 22, 2027, at 7:17 a.m. Eastern, 6:17 a.m. Central, 5:17 a.m. Mountain and 4:17 a.m. Pacific (12:17 UTC). On the East Coast it is setting at that moment; in the West it is still high in the pre-dawn sky. The best evenings to see it are Thursday, January 21 (99.7 percent lit, rising before sunset) and Friday, January 22 (99.5 percent, rising after sunset). At 357,644 km it is the closest full moon of 2027 and the last of three supermoons after the Beaver and Cold Moons of 2026. It sits at 2 degrees Leo opposite an Aquarius sun; the moon enters Leo at 3:46 a.m. Eastern on January 22, so Thursday evening still belongs to Cancer. There is no eclipse. In practice it is a check-in on New Year intentions and a moon for one brave action. No effect of the full moon on events, mood or sleep is established.
The January 2027 full moon occurs on January 22 at 12:17 UTC, which is 7:17 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.
At 357,644 km from Earth it is the closest full moon of 2027.
Wolves in a Minnesota field study answered howls more often in mid-winter, linked to the breeding season (Harrington and Mech, 1979).
The Old Farmer's Almanac attributes January moon names such as Spirit Moon (Ojibwe) and Hard Moon (Dakota) to specific peoples.
Some heathen groups reckon Yule as the first full moon after the first new moon after the winter solstice, following Andreas Nordberg (2006).
A Leo full moon is read astrologically as a high point for courage and self-expression.
The Wolf Moon makes people braver or changes events, mood or sleep.
VERIFIED = verifiable in scientific or official sources · TRADITIONAL = historically or culturally recorded · LIVED PRACTICE = widely practiced, experiential knowledge · NOT PROVEN = spiritual interpretation, not scientifically established.
Quick answer: The Wolf Moon 2027 is full on Friday, January 22, 2027, at 7:17 a.m. Eastern (4:17 a.m. Pacific). It is the closest full moon of 2027, a supermoon at 2 degrees Leo. The best nights to see it are Thursday, January 21 (99.7 percent lit) and Friday, January 22 (99.5 percent). It is not an eclipse.
When is the Wolf Moon in 2027?
The Wolf Moon 2027 reaches full phase on Friday, January 22, 2027, at 12:17 UTC. In the United States that is 7:17 a.m. Eastern, 6:17 a.m. Central, 5:17 a.m. Mountain, 4:17 a.m. Pacific, 3:17 a.m. in Alaska and 2:17 a.m. in Hawaii. It is the first full moon of 2027 and comes fifteen days after the first new moon of the year, on January 7 at 3:24 p.m. Eastern.
Unlike December's Cold Moon, which is exact in the evening, the Wolf Moon peaks around dawn on the East Coast. In New York the moon is less than one degree above the western horizon at 7:17 a.m. and sets seven minutes later; in Miami it has already set. Further west the exact moment is easy to catch: the moon stands 23 degrees up in Denver, 33 degrees in Los Angeles and 36 degrees in Seattle, high in a dark pre-dawn sky.
Wolf Moon 2027 by time zone
| Time zone | Exact full moon | Moon visible at that moment? |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (EST) | Fri Jan 22, 7:17 a.m. | Barely: setting in the west at sunrise |
| Central (CST) | Fri Jan 22, 6:17 a.m. | Yes, low in the west (about 11° in Chicago) |
| Mountain (MST) | Fri Jan 22, 5:17 a.m. | Yes, about 23° up in Denver, 28° in Phoenix |
| Pacific (PST) | Fri Jan 22, 4:17 a.m. | Yes, 33° up in Los Angeles, 36° in Seattle |
| Alaska (AKST) | Fri Jan 22, 3:17 a.m. | Yes, 44° up in Anchorage |
| Hawaii (HST) | Fri Jan 22, 2:17 a.m. | Yes, 68° up, almost overhead |
| UTC | Fri Jan 22, 12:17 | — |
Should I look on Thursday or Friday night?
Either works, and most people should pick by the weather forecast. On Thursday evening, January 21, the moon is 99.7 percent lit at 9 p.m. Eastern; on Friday evening it is 99.5 percent. Nobody can see the difference with the naked eye. The two nights do differ in three ways that matter for a ritual.
- Thursday is the "rising before sunset" night. In New York the moon rises at 4:04 p.m. and the sun sets at 5:00 p.m., so you get the full moon already up in a blue dusk sky. That is the photographers' evening.
- Friday is the "after the peak" night. The moon rises at 5:26 p.m., twenty-five minutes after sunset, big and orange on the horizon. It is a Friday, which suits anyone who works on Thursday.
- The sign changes in between. Thursday evening the moon is still in Cancer. It enters Leo at 3:46 a.m. Eastern on Friday, so the Leo full moon proper belongs to Friday.
If you follow astrology, Friday evening is your night. If you simply want the brightest, most impressive sky, take whichever night is clear.
What time does the Wolf Moon rise where I live?
The Wolf Moon rises around sunset on both nights and sets around sunrise the next morning. Thursday it rises shortly before sunset, Friday shortly after. Times below are local standard time for each city.
| City | Thu Jan 21 moonrise / sunset | Fri Jan 22 moonrise / sunset | Moon sets Sat morning |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 4:04 p.m. / 5:00 p.m. | 5:26 p.m. / 5:01 p.m. | 8:00 a.m. |
| Miami | 5:12 p.m. / 5:56 p.m. | 6:24 p.m. / 5:56 p.m. | 8:00 a.m. |
| Chicago | 3:57 p.m. / 4:51 p.m. | 5:20 p.m. / 4:52 p.m. | 7:58 a.m. |
| Denver | 4:18 p.m. / 5:06 p.m. | 5:39 p.m. / 5:07 p.m. | 8:05 a.m. |
| Phoenix | 5:07 p.m. / 5:49 p.m. | 6:23 p.m. / 5:50 p.m. | 8:23 a.m. |
| Los Angeles | 4:31 p.m. / 5:12 p.m. | 5:48 p.m. / 5:13 p.m. | 7:49 a.m. |
| Seattle | 4:01 p.m. / 4:53 p.m. | 5:31 p.m. / 4:55 p.m. | 8:32 a.m. |
| Anchorage | 3:21 p.m. / 4:37 p.m. | 5:23 p.m. / 4:39 p.m. | 10:09 a.m. |
| Honolulu | 5:47 p.m. / 6:14 p.m. | 6:57 p.m. / 6:15 p.m. | 8:14 a.m. |
Times are calculated for the city centre and a flat horizon; hills and buildings delay the moonrise you actually see by several minutes. For the year ahead, our full moon calendar 2027 lists every date with Eastern and Pacific times.
Is the Wolf Moon 2027 a supermoon?
Yes. At 357,644 km (222,227 miles) from Earth at the moment of full moon, the Wolf Moon 2027 is the closest full moon of 2027. The moon reaches perigee, its nearest point in this orbit, on Thursday, January 21, at 4:55 p.m. Eastern, about 14 hours before the full phase, at 357,288 km.
It is the third of three supermoons in a row: the Beaver Moon in November 2026, the Cold Moon in December, and now the Wolf Moon. Compared with the most distant full moon of 2027, on July 18 at 405,979 km, it looks about 13 percent wider and roughly 29 percent brighter. That is real, but you will notice it mainly near the horizon, where the "moon illusion" adds its own effect.
Distance at full moon: the winter supermoon run
"Supermoon" is a convention, not an astronomical term. The usual definition, coined by astrologer Richard Nolle, counts a full moon within 90 percent of perigee. The Wolf Moon clears that bar easily.
Is there a blood moon or eclipse with the Wolf Moon 2027?
No. On January 22, 2027 the moon passes about 1.7 degrees north of the ecliptic, too far from Earth's shadow for any eclipse. The phrase "super blood wolf moon" refers to the total lunar eclipse of January 20–21, 2019, which fell on a January supermoon. The next eclipse after this Wolf Moon is a faint penumbral lunar eclipse with the Snow Moon on the evening of February 20, 2027, best seen at moonrise from the East Coast. Our guide to the eclipses of 2027 and what is visible from the US has the details.
Why is it called the Wolf Moon?
It is called the Wolf Moon because wolves were thought to be heard howling more often in deep winter. The name reached modern calendars through the Old Farmer's Almanac, which also notes that the old idea of wolves howling from hunger is not accurate.
There is a biological grain of truth in it. In a classic field study in Minnesota's Superior National Forest, Fred Harrington and L. David Mech (1979) played recorded howls to radio-collared wolves for two years. Wolves answered more often in mid-winter, a rise the authors linked to the breeding season, which falls in January and February. Howling in that study served territory and contact between pack members. Nothing in it connects howling to the moon.
Wolf Moon is one name among many. The Old Farmer's Almanac attributes these to individual peoples; treat the attributions as a compiled list, not as a single tradition.
| Name | Attributed to | What the name refers to (where the Almanac says) |
|---|---|---|
| Spirit Moon | Ojibwe | — |
| Hard Moon | Dakota | Snow developing a hard crust |
| Severe Moon | Dakota | — |
| Center Moon | Assiniboine | The middle of the cold season |
| Freeze Up Moon | Algonquin | — |
| Greetings Moon | Western Abenaki | — |
| Canada Goose Moon | Tlingit | — |
| Great Moon | Cree | — |
| Cold Moon, Frost Exploding Moon | Cree | — |
If the wolf itself is what draws you, our article on wolf symbolism and spiritual meaning goes into the animal in myth and practice.
If you want to work with this yourself, this is what we use
Leo Oil Candle — Refillable Zodiac Candle for Courage
A refillable glass oil candle with golden dried botanicals, scented peach and amber. Made for exactly this: one flame lit on purpose for a Leo full moon, then refilled for the next. From $23.99 (3 oz).
What does a full moon in Leo mean?
In astrology a full moon in Leo is read as a high point for self-expression, courage, creativity and the heart, set against an Aquarius sun that speaks for the group, the future and the cool head. The tension of the axis is "me and my fire" versus "us and our plan". In practice it is a moon for showing something you made, saying something you mean, or admitting what you actually want.
The Wolf Moon 2027 is exact at 2 degrees Leo, opposite the sun at 2 degrees Aquarius; the sun entered Aquarius early on January 20. Because the full moon comes so soon after the sign changes, astrologers who work with degrees treat it as a fresh, young Leo moon: more about beginning to show up than about a finished performance. This is interpretation, and different schools weigh it differently.
| Moon in Leo | Sun in Aquarius | |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword | Heart, courage, play | Mind, community, vision |
| Asks | What do I want to be seen for? | What does the group need? |
| Shadow | Needing applause | Keeping everyone at arm's length |
| Good for | Creative work, one brave conversation, celebration | Planning, volunteering, joining something |
| Planetary ruler | Sun | Saturn (traditional), Uranus (modern) |
What does the Wolf Moon mean spiritually?
In modern moon practice the Wolf Moon stands for the pack and for instinct: who you run with, what you protect, and what you know without having to think about it. As the first full moon of the year it is often used to check the intentions set at New Year, three weeks in, when resolutions usually start to crack.
That timing is the useful part. By January 22 the momentum of January 1 has faded for most people. A full moon at that point is a natural review date: keep what is working, drop what was never yours, and recommit to one thing. If you started the year with our New Year rituals for good luck, the Wolf Moon is the first checkpoint.
How do you do a Wolf Moon ritual?
A Wolf Moon ritual for 2027 can be a short Leo courage ritual: light one candle, name your pack, name one brave thing you will do before the next full moon, say it out loud, and seal it by stepping outside to look at the moon. It takes about 20 minutes and works alone or with others.
The Leo courage ritual, step by step
- Pick your evening. Friday, January 22, after moonrise, for the Leo version; Thursday if the forecast is better.
- Set one candle on a heat-proof plate. Gold, yellow or orange suits Leo. Clear the surface of paper and fabric.
- Name your pack. Write down the three to five people who actually have your back this year. Not the ones you think should.
- Name the brave thing. One action you have been postponing that takes nerve: a conversation, a submission, a public post of your own work, a "no". Write it as a sentence with a date before February 20.
- Say it out loud. Leo is the sign of the voice. Read the sentence aloud once, by the candle.
- Go outside for one minute. Look at the moon. No phone. This is the "wolf" part: stepping out of the den into the cold, bright night.
- Close. Put the candle out, fold the paper and keep it somewhere you will see it. On February 20, the Snow Moon, check whether you did it.
If you want water as part of it, set a jar on the windowsill overnight; our guide to how to make moon water covers the details. For the general shape of full moon work, see our full moon ritual guide.
Temple Tip
Do the brave thing small. The ritual works best when the action fits in one sitting and needs only you to start it: send the email, book the room, post the drawing. Big goals belong in a plan; the Wolf Moon is for the one step you keep walking past.
Is the Wolf Moon 2027 the Lunar Yule moon?
For some heathen practitioners, yes. The Swedish historian of religions Andreas Nordberg (2006) argued that pre-Christian Yule in Scandinavia was set by the moon rather than by the solar calendar: the first full moon after the first new moon after the winter solstice. In the winter of 2026–27 the solstice falls on December 21, the next new moon on January 7, and the following full moon is the Wolf Moon on January 22. Groups who keep this lunar reckoning will mark their Yule feast around these nights. Most modern pagans keep Yule at the solstice instead; our guide on how to celebrate Yule covers that version.
Which Wolf Moon practice fits you?
Choose the line closest to your January.
Voices from practice: what people report
We do not publish invented testimonials. These are patterns that recur in public discussion of January full moon practice, given as patterns and without names.
The most frequent report is that the January full moon is the one where people notice their resolutions have quietly gone, and that using it as a check-in feels kinder than starting over in February. A second theme is cold: people in the northern states describe keeping the outdoor part to a minute or two and doing the rest inside by a window. And a familiar confusion is the time of day, with people expecting the moon to be full "tonight" and learning that, for the East Coast, the exact moment happens around breakfast.
What we don't promise
The Wolf Moon will not make you brave, change your luck or fix a relationship. No study has shown that a full moon changes events, decisions or behaviour, and research on the moon and sleep is mixed. What the ritual offers is a fixed date, a written sentence and a reason to look up on a cold night. Whether you then send the email is still up to you.
Astrological meanings are interpretation. The name history is a compiled list from many peoples, and the wolf story has less to do with the moon than most calendars imply. Dress for the cold: at severe wind chills the National Weather Service warns that exposed skin can get frostbite in 30 minutes or less.
Practically: how to work with this
- January 7, 3:24 p.m. Eastern: first new moon of 2027, in Capricorn. Set the intention; our new moon calendar 2027 has every date.
- January 21, Thursday: moon rises before sunset, perigee at 4:55 p.m. Eastern. Best photo evening.
- January 22, Friday, 7:17 a.m. Eastern: exact full moon in Leo. Courage ritual in the evening.
- January 23–February 5: waning moon. A good stretch for clearing out; see the waning moon ritual for letting go.
- February 20, 6:23 p.m. Eastern: Snow Moon in Virgo with a penumbral eclipse. Check whether you did the brave thing.
- Every time: candle on a heat-proof plate, out when you leave the room.
Lunar tools are in our moon and lunar magic collection; a candle for every sign is in the zodiac candles. If you want to clear out the old year before this moon, a burning bowl ceremony in early January pairs well with it.
The Wolf Moon also falls in the middle of a ten-day run of portal days, January 19 to 28, 2027; if you follow those, the dates are in portal days 2026 and 2027.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Wolf Moon 2027?
The Wolf Moon 2027 is full on Friday, January 22, 2027, at 7:17 a.m. Eastern, 6:17 a.m. Central, 5:17 a.m. Mountain and 4:17 a.m. Pacific (12:17 UTC). The best evenings to see it are Thursday, January 21, and Friday, January 22.
Is the January 2027 full moon a supermoon?
Yes. At 357,644 km from Earth it is the closest full moon of 2027, with perigee about 14 hours earlier. It is the last of three supermoons in a row after the Beaver Moon and the Cold Moon of 2026.
Is there a super blood wolf moon in 2027?
No. There is no lunar eclipse on January 22, 2027. The super blood wolf moon was the total lunar eclipse of January 20–21, 2019. The next eclipse in 2027 is a penumbral lunar eclipse on February 20.
What zodiac sign is the Wolf Moon 2027 in?
Leo, at about 2 degrees, opposite the sun in Aquarius. The moon enters Leo at 3:46 a.m. Eastern on January 22, so on Thursday evening it is still in Cancer and the Leo full moon belongs to Friday.
Why is it called the Wolf Moon?
Because wolves were thought to howl more often in deep winter. Field research does show wolves answer howls more often in mid-winter, linked to the breeding season, but howling has nothing to do with the moon.
What should you do on the Wolf Moon?
Use it as a check-in on your New Year intentions: keep one, drop the rest, and commit to one brave action before the next full moon. Light one candle, write the action down, say it aloud and step outside to look at the moon.
What time does the Wolf Moon rise on January 22, 2027?
In New York it rises at 5:26 p.m., in Chicago at 5:20 p.m., in Denver at 5:39 p.m. and in Los Angeles at 5:48 p.m. local time, shortly after sunset. On Thursday, January 21, it rises shortly before sunset.
When is the next full moon after the Wolf Moon?
The Snow Moon on Saturday, February 20, 2027, at 6:23 p.m. Eastern, in Virgo, with a penumbral lunar eclipse visible at moonrise from the eastern US.
Sources & further reading
- Harrington, F. H. & Mech, L. D. (1979). Wolf howling and its role in territory maintenance. Behaviour 68, 207–249. Summary at USGS.
- The Old Farmer's Almanac: Wolf Moon: Full Moon in January (names and attributions, accessed 2026).
- National Weather Service: Wind Chill Chart (frostbite times).
- Nordberg, A. (2006). Jul, disting och förkyrklig tideräkning. Uppsala: Kungl. Gustav Adolfs Akademien (lunar reckoning of Yule).
- Nolle, R.: origin of the term "supermoon" (1979), as summarised by NASA Science, "Supermoons" (accessed 2026).
- Moon phases, distances, perigee, sign ingress, moonrise and moonset: our own calculation with Skyfield and the NASA JPL DE421 ephemeris (2026).
More moon guides: Cold Moon 2026 · Beaver Moon 2026 · full moon calendar 2027 · new moon calendar 2027
