Full Wolf Moon To Align With Mars In Dublin's Night Sky

DUBLIN, CA — East Bay stargazers are in for a special celestial treat with this year’s full wolf moon on Monday night if the weather forecast holds up.

The moon will pass directly in front of Mars, combining with the bright star Pollux to create a stunning view. Mars is one of four planets lining up this month in a rare four-planet conjunction.

Below is all you need to know about taking it all in, starting with the weather forecast for the full moon.

The National Weather Service predicts sunny days and clear nights over the next seven days in Dublin. But revelers will want to bundle Monday evening as overnight lows dip into the mid-30s.

Conjunction Of The Moon And Mars

The moon will begin its rise around 5 p.m. Monday. Once it peeks over the horizon, it’s time to start watching for the magic. Times vary by region, according to NASA, whose times are localized to the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

• Just after twilight, the rising full moon will pass in front of the bright planet Mars, with the bright star Pollux above the pair.
• As evening twilight ends, the three will form a triangle, with Mars just 2 degrees to the lower left and Pollux 3 degrees to the upper left of the moon.
• Mars will disappear behind the bottom of the moon at around 6:16 p.m. and then reappear from behind the upper right of the moon.
• By the time the moon reaches its highest point in the sky shortly after midnight Tuesday, Mars will be 1 degree to the right of Moon and Pollux will be 5 degrees to the upper right. When morning twilight begins, Mars will be 4 degrees and Pollux 8 degrees to the lower right of the Moon.

4-Planet Parade

Throughout January, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars will align in the night sky, according to NASA.

Just after sunset, look southwest and find Venus and Saturn low in the sky. Jupiter shines brightly above them, and Mars glows in the eastern sky. They’re all visible to the naked eye during clear conditions, but a telescope may reveal two other planets, Uranus and Neptune.

Because the planets align along the ecliptic, the solar system’s orbital plane, they appear to seem close together from Earth, NASA explains.

Each evening in January, Venus and Saturn will appear closer together, appearing the closest on Jan. 17-18 before gradually moving apart. NASA says the rare event offers a great opportunity for skywatchers to observe planetary movement.

Why Is It Called The Wolf Moon?

January’s full moon is known as the wolf moon. Wolves seem to howl more at this time of year as the snow and cold of winter set in. According to lore, wolves howled because they were starving.

That’s not the case, though.

The truth reveals the complexity of wolves’ social lives.

“Howling is for long-distance communication to pull a pack back together and keep strangers away,” according to the National Wildlife Federation.

• Related: 2025 Guide To Meteors, ‘Blood Moon,’ Solar Eclipse And Supermoons

Howling is just one of the ways wolves communicate. They also use body language, mark their territories with scent, and bark and growl. Much of their communication is about reinforcing the social hierarchy of the pack, according to the NWF.

This communication also includes submissive behavior. A wolf not willing to challenge the hierarchy will often crouch and whimper, tuck in its tail, lick the other wolf’s mouth or roll over on its back, the organization said. If the opposite is true and a wolf wants to challenge the status quo, it will often growl and lay its ears back.