Tonight, when you celebrate Thiruvathira, look at the moon, touch the moon, get close
The first full moon of 2026 will be visible in the sky today. Today, which is also the Thiruvathira day of the month of Sagittarius, the sun is a supersun. It is a rare day when the sun and the moon come close to the earth on the same day. This moon, which can be seen larger and brighter than a normal full moon, is known as the 'Wolf Supermoon'. Today, the moon will be visible from a distance of only about 3,62,000 km from the earth. This gives the moon 6 to 14 percent larger and up to 30 percent brighter than normal.
What is Thiruvathira?
Kerala women celebrate Thiruvathira on the day when the white star Va in the Shukla Paksha of the Malayalam month of Dhanu and the Thiruvathira star coincide. According to Hindu tradition, the Thiruvathira star in the month of Dhanu is the birthday of Lord Shiva.
What is a supermoon?
The moon orbits the earth in an elliptical path. So at times the moon is very close to the earth and at other times it is far away. When the moon is at its closest to the earth and the full moon is also there, it is called a supermoon. Phenomena like tides, sea waves, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions occur during this time. If the full moon coincides with the supermoon, a larger moon can be seen. This happens rarely.
How did the name Wolf Moon come about?
The full moon in January is traditionally called the 'Wolf Moon'. This name comes from old beliefs in northern countries. The name comes from the wolves that howl at the full moon on midwinter nights in stories. But today, such names are a good way to distinguish the full moon of each month.
When can the Wolf Moon be seen in India?
The Wolf Moon will be visible across India. The moon will start rising between 5:45 and 6:00 pm today after sunset. The supermoon visible from this time will be visible until the moon sets the next morning. You can enjoy this celestial wonder with the naked eye or using a telescope.
Next in 2045
The last time the sun and moon came this close was in 1912, said astronomer Surendran Punnassery. The next Wolf Moon will be visible in 2045. Usually, the sun is closest to the Earth (perihelion) in the first week of January and furthest away (aphelion) in the first week of July. Therefore, the sun in January will be about fifty thousand kilometers closer than the sun we see in July. Therefore, the sun in January has a supersun effect.
Tidal waves are likely to rise
Tidal waves are likely to rise on the day of 'Super Thiruvathira'. There are many who believe that the Titanic disaster that occurred in 1912 was a phenomenon related to tidal waves.