2023 brings us a whopping 13 chances to catch a glimpse of a full moon, with the first having occurred on Friday, January 6th. If you found yourself out and about last Friday night, you might've seen the first full moon of the year: the Wolf Moon.

A credit to Gary Fagan, who snapped an absolutely gorgeous photo of the Wolf Moon shining down on Dubuque, or in the photo's case, the Grand Ballroom of the Dubuque County Fairgrounds. The moon's fullness allows you to see, quite vividly, its many craters and characteristics that are normally obscured by darkness.

I saw some conversation online that would inspire this very piece. Many folks were asking the same question: "what's the significance of a 'Wolf Moon?'"

Per the Farmer's Almanac, the various names given to the full moon come from a variety of places, such as Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. The Wolf Moon, also known as the "January Moon," gets its name because Native Americans believed that wolves were more likely to be heard howling when that iteration of the moon was visible.

It was once believed that wolves howled to express their severe hunger during the winter, although now we know the real reason:

Howling and other wolf vocalizations are generally used to define territory, locate pack members, reinforce social bonds, and coordinate hunting. - The Farmer's Almanac

Photo Credit: KHOU 11, YouTube
Photo Credit: KHOU 11, YouTube
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If you were unable to see the Wolf Moon in all its glory last Friday, here is a schedule of other full moons you'll be able throughout the year, per KCRG. The next full moon, called the "Snow Moon," will be high in the sky on February 5th:

  • Worm Moon - March 7
  • Pink Moon - April 6
  • Flower Moon - May 5
  • Strawberry Moon - June 3
  • Buck Moon - July 3
  • Sturgeon Moon - Aug. 1
  • Blue Moon - Aug. 30
  • Harvest Moon - Sept. 29
  • Hunter’s Moon - Oct. 28
  • Beaver Moon - Nov. 27
  • Cold Moon - Dec. 26

Read more about the Wolf Moon here.

Small Town Iowa: Road Trip to Pella - Photos

When you mention Pella, most people say "they have all the tulips right?" Where that would be correct, there is so much more to this town. Pella is also home to two manufacturing companies, a college, the largest working windmill in the U.S. and it's the boyhood home of the legendary Wyatt Earp. Now, let's go on a virtual tour of this excellent example of picturesque small-town Iowa.

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