This January’s supermoon is even more special because it comes at the same time as Earth’s closest point to the Sun, called perihelion. This doesn’t happen often. While the supermoon makes the Moon look bigger and brighter in the sky, perihelion means Earth is slightly closer to the Sun than usual. Together, these two space events make early January 2026 a rare and interesting moment for skywatchers.

What is a 'Wolf Supermoon'? 

The first full moon of 2026, also known as the "Wolf Supermoon", is set to rise this weekend on January 3, 2026, at 10:03 GMT. The Wolf Moon is the traditional name for January's full moon, named after the howling wolves that were often heard during the cold winter nights. This full moon is also a 'supermoon', making it appear larger and brighter than usual.

Jupiter will reach opposition a week after the full Wolf moon It means it rises at sunset and sets at sunrise. It will shine at its brightest all year

After the wolf moon, the next full moon will be the snow moon on Sunday, February 1, 2026. It is the second full moon of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

what is supermoon?

A supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, a point known as perigee. Because the Moon is physically nearer to us during this time, it appears larger and significantly brighter than a typical full moon.
A supermoon can appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than when the Moon is at its farthest point from Earth
Orbit Shape : The Moon does not follow a perfect circle; its elliptical path means its distance varies by about 50,000 km (roughly 31,000 miles) throughout the month.

When and Where to See the 'Wolf Supermoon'

Date: January 3, 2026.

Time: Peak full moon at 10:03 GMT (5:03 a.m. EST).

Best Viewing Time: Evening of January 2 and 3, shortly after sunset.

Makar Sankranti 2026 : The Aspicious festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated every year on January 14th or 15th. On this day, the Sun God moves from Sagittarius to Capricorn, which is why Makar Sankranti is celebrated. Makar Sankranti is also known as Khichdi and Uttarayan.  The festival is known by different names in different regions of the country, but the celebrations are similar. On Makar Sankranti, people take a holy bath, perform acts of charity, and eat khichdi, curd  and sesame seed ladoos. In some places, people also fly kites on Makar Sankranti.  Let's find out when Makar Sankranti 2026 is? What is the Aspicious time for bathing and charity on Makar Sankranti?

2026 Makar Sankranti Date:

According to astrology, the moment the Sun God leaves Sagittarius and enters Capricorn, that will be the moment of Makar Sankranti. Based on this, according to the Hindu calendar, in the new year 2026, the Sun God will enter Capricorn on Wednesday, January 14th, at 3:13 PM. That will be the moment of Makar Sankranti. Therefore, Makar Sankranti in 2026 will be celebrated on Wednesday, January 14th. Sometimes, the Makar Sankranti festival falls on January 13th or January 15th. This is due to the timing of the sun's entry into the Capricorn constellation. The day of Makar Sankranti is determined by the exact time the sun enters Capricorn.

Makar Sankranti Muhurat:

On January 14, 2026, the auspicious time (Muhurat) for Makar Sankranti, also known as the Maha Punya Kaal, is from 3:13 PM to 4:58 PM. This Maha Punya Kaal will last for 1 hour and 45 minutes. The general auspicious period (Punya Kaal) for Makar Sankranti is from 3:13 PM to 5:45 PM, lasting for 2 hours and 32 minutes. The Maha Punya Kaal, followed by the Punya Kaal, is considered the most auspicious time for taking a holy bath on Makar Sankranti.

Why is Makar Sankranti also called Khichdi and Uttarayan?

On Makar Sankranti, people in most places consume khichdi.On Makar Sankranti, the Sun God moves from Dakshinayana (southern hemisphere) to Uttarayana (northern hemisphere).  He remains in Uttarayana for six months. Uttarayana is considered the day of the gods and is considered auspicious. The six months of the solar calendar that fall during Uttarayana are Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, and Gemini.

The Significance of Makar Sankranti:

On Makar Sankranti, people worship the Sun God, which strengthens the position of the Sun in their horoscope. This brings career advancement, fame, glory, support from one's father, progress in politics, and more. Taking a holy bath and performing acts of charity on Makar Sankranti brings spiritual merit.  One should donate food grains, sesame seeds, jaggery, warm clothes, etc., on this day.

Yamaraj is known as the god of death. If Yamaraj himself is the god of death, then how is his death possible? This may seem a bit ridiculous, but a story of Yamaraj's death is narrated in the Vedas and Puranas.

Before telling this story, it is necessary to know some information about Yamaraj. Yamaraj had a twin sister known as Yamuna. Yamaraj rides a buffalo and is worshipped by various names like Yama, Dharmaraj, Mrityunjaya and Kaal.

In ancient times, there was a sage named Shwet Muni who was a great devotee of Lord Shiva and lived on the banks of the Godavari river. When the time came for his death, Yamaraj sent Mrityunjaya (death messenger) to take his life. But Shwet Muni did not want to give up his life yet, so he started chanting the Mahamrityunjaya mantra. When Mrityupash reached Shwet Muni's ashram, he saw that Bhairav ​​Baba was guarding the ashram outside.

Being bound by religion and duty, Mrityupash tried to kill Shwet Muni, but at that moment Bhairav ​​Baba attacked him and knocked Mrityupash unconscious. Mrityupash fell to the ground and died.

Seeing this, Yamaraj became very angry and himself reached Shwet Muni's ashram. He tied Bhairav ​​Baba and also threw a noose of death on him to kill Shwet Muni. But Shwet Muni called out to his beloved Lord Shiva and Lord Shiva immediately sent his son Kartikeya.

On Kartikeya's arrival, a fierce battle took place between Yamaraj and Kartikeya. Yamaraj could not withstand Kartikeya and fell to the ground due to Kartikeya's attack, which led to his death. When Lord Surya received the news of Yamaraj's death, he was extremely distressed. Through meditation, he came to know that Yamaraj had tried to kill Shwet Muni against the will of Lord Shiva, due to which he had to suffer the wrath of Lord Shiva.

Yamaraj is the son of Lord Surya. To solve this problem, Suryadev went to Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu advised him to please Lord Shiva by performing penance. Suryadev performed severe penance of Lord Shiva, which pleased Lord Shiva and asked him to appear before him and ask for a boon.

Then Suryadev requested, 'O Mahadev, due to the death of Yamaraj, a great imbalance has spread on the earth. To maintain balance on the earth, give rebirth to Yamaraj.' Lord Shiva ordered Nandi to bring water from the Yamuna river and sprinkled that water on Yamaraj's body, which brought Yamaraj back to life.

A famous temple of Yamaraj in India is located in the Gaya district of Bihar, which is known as the Yamaraj Temple. This temple is located near the Vishnupada Temple in the city of Gaya and is very popular among pilgrims who come for Shraddha rituals.Currently, Bihar government has renamed it as a Gayaji. Apart from this, there is also a temple dedicated to Yamaraj in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, which is part of the Ranganathaswamy temple complex. In these temples, Yamaraj is worshipped to remove the fear of death and to attain spiritual peace.