The first supermoon of 2026 is almost here. Set to be visible on the night of January 3, during this time, the moon will appear 30 per cent brighter, 14 per cent larger than the most distant full moon of the year. It will be visible in India shortly after sunset in the evening.
A bright wolf supermoon occurs when a full Moon happens near perigee, the point in its orbit where it comes closest to Earth. Because the Moon’s orbit is an ellipse, its distance varies from about 3,56,000 to 4,06,000 km, changing its apparent size and brightness in our sky.
On January 3, the Moon will be roughly 362,000 km away, making it appear up to about 6–14% larger and around 13–30% brighter than when it is farthest (apogee). Skywatchers around the world will be able to witness the Supermoon reach its peak at 5:30 am EST (4 pm IST) on January 3, space.com reported.
In India, the best views will come at the moonrise on January 3, and the skywatchers can see it after the sunset at around 5:45 pm-6 pm IST. During this time, the moon will appear 362,641 km away and will be seen in its full phase, according to the NASA website
Further, this supermoon will be visible at different local times across the world. In New York, it will be visible at 5:30 am EST, in London at 10:03 am GMT, in Tokyo at 7:30 pm, and in Sydney at 9:03 pm local time.
Join our whatsapp group for Latest updates
Click Here for Chhattisgarh News
Click Here for Entertainment News