Hyderabad skies to light up with ‘Wolf Supermoon’ to welcome 2026

Hyderabad’s skywatchers can welcome 2026 with the Wolf Supermoon, which will peak on January 3. The Moon will appear larger and brighter than usual, offering ideal viewing conditions across the city and nearby dark-sky locations.

Hyderabad: Amateur astronomers and curious stargazers can usher in the New Year with ‘Wolf Supermoon’, the first major astronomical event of 2026. Between January 1 and 4, the moon will be exceptionally large and bright reaching its peak ‘Wolf Supermoon’ phase on January 3 evening.

According to NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), the supermoon occurs when the full moon’s orbit is at its closest point to the Earth. This makes the lunar disk appear roughly 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than a standard full moon.

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In Hyderabad, the moon will rise at approximately 5.52 pm on January 3, which also coincides with the ‘blue hour’ just after sunset, making it a prime opportunity for photographers to check out the wonder. Based on various reports, the ‘Wolf Moon’ has originated from the ancient European and Native American folklore, referring to the time of year when wolves would howl most prominently during the cold winter nights.

While people will not witness wolves howling on the Deccan Plateau, they certainly bask in the hauntingly beautiful light of the moon at popular sports like Tank Bund and Durgam Cheruvu.

For the clearest views, experts recommend moving away from the dense smog and high-rise clusters of city to elevated vantage points like the Hussain Sagar or even for that matter Naubat Pahad where Birla Planetarium is located. A large number of celestial gazers seeking dark eyes are also planning to visit Gandipet, to catch the celestial visual. No special astronomy equipment is needed, as clear skies are expected across Telangana.