January's full "Wolf Moon" rises in the eastern sky tonight

Feel like howling at the moon? There might be a reason tonight!

The first full moon of 2024 will rise tonight.

The Wolf Moon, as it is called will rise in the eastern sky around sunset on Thursday, January 25, and shine bright into Friday morning near the installation Orion.

How did it get its name?

January's full moon is often called the Wolf Moon, as wolves were heard howling more often during the winter months.

"It was traditionally believed that wolves howled due to hunger during winter, but we know today that isn’t accurate," the Old Farmer's Almanac explained on its website. "Howling and other wolf vocalizations are heard in the wintertime to locate pack members, reinforce social bonds, define territory, and coordinate hunting."

Other nicknames for the first full moon of the year include the Canada Goose Moon, the Freeze-Up Moon, the Greetings Moon and the Spirit Moon.