January supermoon 2018: The biggest and brightest moon of the year will light up the sky on New Year's Day

The second and third instalments of a 'supermoon trilogy' that began in December will light up the sky in January
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Ella Wills28 December 2017

Astronomers are in for a celestial treat on New Year's Day as the second instalment of a "supermoon trilogy" is set to light up the sky.

January's first full moon, known as the 'Wolf Moon', is one of two supermoons that will delight keen skywatchers at the start of 2018 after the last sighting of the phenomenon on December 3.

The first supermoon will peak overnight on January 1, in a chance alignment of the lunar and calendar cycle.

Early Native American tribes named the first full moon of the year after the wolf, as this was the time of year when packs of the animal would howl outside their camps.

This will be quickly followed by a second supermoon on January 31, which will be a blue moon, astronomers said.

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What is a supermoon?

A supermoon happens when a full moon coincides with the moon's closest approach to Earth during orbit.

Full moons appear around 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter when the phenomenon occurs, according to NASA.

The changes are hard to spot with the naked eye when the moon is high in the sky, but can cause dramatic impact as the moon rises or sets in the sky.

A supermoon happens when the moon is full at the same time as its closest point to Earth
AFP/Getty Images

When is the New Year's Day supermoon visible?

The first full moon in 2018, which will be the biggest and closest supermoon of next year, will occur on the night between January 1 and 2.

It will peak at 2.24am GMT, the Royal Observatory in Greenwich said, as this is when the moon will be perfectly lit up by the sun.

Stargazers will be able to catch the brightest supermoon of the year in London overnight on New Year's Day
PA Archive/PA Images

But stargazers won't need to stay up this late to catch the phenomenon, experts said.

The difference in illumination between the evening and early hours is marginal, so there should still be a good light show on January 1.

When is the blue moon?

There will be a second supermoon on January 31, which can be considered a blue moon.

This supermoon is cited to be "extra special" as it will feature a total lunar eclipse viewable from western North America across the pacific to Eastern Asia, NASA said.

What is a blue moon?

A full moon becomes a blue moon when it is the second full moon to appear within the same month.

Blue moons happen every two and a half years, on average.

The moon won’t actually change its colour to blue, but those in North America, Asia and Australia may witness it turn red as it coincides with a lunar eclipse.

The supermoons are the second and third in a supermoon trilogy that began on December 3.

The December supermoon was a rare event for stargazers as a supermoon had not been seen since November 14 2016.

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