Wolf Moon lights up Hyderabad skies in spectacular supermoon display

The first supermoon of 2026 lit up the night sky on Saturday, giving people across India a spectacular start to the year as the full Moon appeared unusually bright, large and golden soon after sunset. In Hyderabad, skywatchers eagerly stepped out to witness the Wolf Moon , which rose in the eastern sky around 5:50 pm IST . Residents across the city captured the glowing Moon over iconic landmarks, from the Charminar to Hussain Sagar, sharing photos and videos on social media, making it one of the most talked-about celestial events of the year in the city.

The supermoon appeared noticeably larger and brighter than a typical full Moon, drawing families, amateur astronomers, and photographers to open spaces and rooftops. Many gathered at public parks and lakesides , including Necklace Road and KBR Park, to enjoy unobstructed views. Local astronomy clubs in Hyderabad also organised informal gatherings, providing telescopes to give enthusiasts a closer look at the Moon’s craters and surface details.

A supermoon occurs when the Moon reaches its full phase near perigee , the closest point in its orbit around Earth, making it appear bigger and brighter than usual. On Saturday evening, the Moon was just over 3.6 lakh kilometres from Earth, appearing nearly 14 per cent larger and about 30 per cent brighter than the smallest full Moon of the year. Astronomers noted that this Wolf Moon received an added boost in brightness because Earth is closer to the Sun in its orbit, allowing more sunlight to reflect off the lunar surface.

In Hyderabad, the Moon rose low on the horizon with a warm orange-yellow hue, an effect caused by moonlight passing through a thicker layer of Earth’s atmosphere. The low rise enhanced the Moon’s colour and apparent size, creating the famous “moon illusion” that makes the lunar disc look even larger to the human eye. As the night progressed, the Wolf Moon climbed higher in the sky, casting a silvery glow across the city and drawing attention from residents across all neighbourhoods.

January’s full Moon is traditionally called the Wolf Moon , a name rooted in Northern Hemisphere folklore linking long winter nights with wolf howls. It is also sometimes referred to as the Moon after Yule. While visible to the naked eye, those with binoculars or small telescopes could observe more intricate details of the Moon’s surface, including craters, mountains, and lunar maria.

Saturday’s supermoon marked the end of a four-month run of consecutive supermoons that began in October 2025. Last year, 2025, had three supermoons at the end of the year: the Harvest Moon in October, the Beaver Moon in November, and the Cold Moon in December, making the early January 2026 Wolf Moon the fourth in this rare sequence. After this event, astronomy enthusiasts will have to wait until late 2026 for the next supermoons, expected on November 24 (Beaver Moon) and December 23 (Cold Moon) .

The names of full moons are fixed according to the month in which they occur, so the November and December supermoons retain their traditional titles regardless of whether they are supermoons. Each supermoon carries both its traditional monthly name and the designation of “supermoon” when it coincides with perigee, highlighting its increased brightness and apparent size in the night sky.