If you’re looking forward to seeing the Wolf Moon this week – the first full moon of 2025 – you’re in for a treat because the planet Mars will be visible right next to it in the night sky.

If you go outside around 19:30 UTC on January 13th and look east, you will see the full moon rising higher and higher in the sky.

Directly below and to the left of the Moon will be a red “star” which is the planet Mars.

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Mars and the Moon come closer together as the night progresses, rising higher into the sky together and moving towards the southeast around midnight.

Here we reveal more about Mars’ encounter with the Wolf Moon and how to make the most of the spectacle.

Wolf Moon explained

The Wolf Moon is the full moon in January, the first full moon of the year.

Each month’s full moon has acquired an informal nickname over the years, and these names reflect what is happening in nature during that month.

The Wolf Moon, it is said, is so named because wolves do not hibernate in the winter and are very active in January.

Perhaps it was the howling of wolves on a full moon night while many other animals were still sleeping that prompted the nickname to be adopted.

But the name Wolf Moon doesn’t mean that January’s full moon will look or behave any differently than any other full moon you’ll see.

Find out more by reading our guide detailing when the next full moon will be visible.

Mars in January 2025

It’s a good month for observing Mars, not least because the winter sky is nice and dark and the evenings are still long.

But January 2025 is also a good time to observe Mars, because on January 16th the Red Planet approaches opposition.

In astronomy, opposition means that the planet is opposite the sun in the sky and that Mars appears large and bright: at its best.

January 12-16 is a great time to observe Mars through a telescope and take a look at its features.

But the Red Planet’s luster won’t suddenly fade once the resistance passes: stick with it for the rest of the month and make the most of its favorable position in the sky.

Mars and the Wolf Moon

Naked-eye stargazers are in for a treat as brilliant Mars will join the full moon – the Wolf Moon – in the sky in January 2025.

When observed from around 19:30 UTC on January 13th, the full moon can be seen in the eastern sky, with Mars below and to the left.

At 22:30 UTC, Mars and the Moon will be even closer together and moved higher in the sky, now appearing in the southeast.

At midnight on January 13, Mars will be to the left of the Moon, and both will now be to the south.

From this point on, both celestial bodies move towards the western horizon, but Mars gets closer and closer to the moon and grazes the northern edge of the lunar disk in the early morning hours of January 14th.

Of course, this is all a trick of perspective. Mars is not actually near the Moon: it only appears in the night sky as we see it from Earth.

The Mars show continues…

Watch Mars and the Moon later on January 14 as they rise above the eastern horizon in the early evening. You’ll notice that Mars is now above and to the right of the Moon, and the two bodies are getting further apart as the evening wears on.

The celestial tango is now over, but the good news is that Mars will move further and further away from the waning moon as the month progresses, giving you a better chance of observing the Red Planet in isolation.

For more information, see our guide to observing Mars.

If you observe or capture a picture of Mars and the Wolf Moon, share your experiences and images with us by emailing [email protected].