WASHINGTON — When the moon rises Monday night, it will be the first full moon of 2022.
The January full moon is referred to as the "Wolf Moon," because traditionally, wolves can be heard howling at the moon more this time of year. Some say wolves howl at the moon more during the cold winter months as a result of hunger, due to food being in short supply.
The moon will begin rising about 24 minutes before the sunset; in the DMV, that's around 4:50 p.m. The Full Wolf Moon will reach its peak at 6:48 p.m.
While skies will be partly cloudy, there will be some breaks in the clouds to make viewing a little easier. Just bundle up before you step outside, as it will be cold and windy with temperatures in the 30s, but feeling like the 20s.
A full moon occurs when the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun. The moon looks so bright because we see the sun's light reflected from it.
The Full Wolf Moon will be visible through Wednesday morning.
But the moon won't be the only thing lighting up the sky Monday. You may also see the brighter star in the constellation Gemini, known as Pollux, near the full moon.
For the shutterbugs out there, here are a few tips on how to photograph the moon. And when you do, send your pictures our way! You can share your photos and videos easily through the "Near Me" feature on the WUSA9 app.
You can find instructions for downloading the app and using the feature below.