Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2026 January 3
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                               Full Moonlight
     Image Credit & [3]Copyright: Zhengjie Wu and [4]Jeff Dai ([5]TWAN)

   Explanation: The Full Moon is the brightest lunar phase, and tonight
   you can [6]stand in the light of the first Full Moon of 2026. In fact,
   the Moon's full phase occurs on January 3 at 10:03 UTC, while only
   about [7]7 hours later planet Earth reaches its 2026 perihelion, the
   closest point in its elliptical orbit around the Sun, at 17:16 UTC.
   [8]January's Full Moon was also not far from its own perigee, or
   closest approach to planet Earth. For this lunation the Moon's perigee
   was on January 1 at 21:44 UTC. You can also spot planet Jupiter, near
   its brightest for 2026 and close on the sky to the Full Moon tonight.
   But [9]while you're out skygazing [10]don't forget to look for rare,
   bright fireballs from the Quadrantid meteor shower.

                       Tomorrow's picture: quasar x 4
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      [11]< | [12]Archive | [13]Submissions | [14]Index | [15]Search |
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    Authors & editors: [22]Robert Nemiroff ([23]MTU) & [24]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([25]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [26]Specific rights apply.
            [27]NASA Web Privacy, [28]Accessibility, [29]Notices;
                A service of: [30]ASD at [31]NASA / [32]GSFC,
                         [33]NASA Science Activation
                           & [34]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2601/moonwalk1.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. http://www.twanight.org/Dai
   5. http://www.twanight.org/
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211118.html
   7. https://earthsky.org/earth/rare-alignment-of-earth-moon-and-sun-january-1-2-3-2026/
   8. https://earthsky.org/tonight/january-full-moon-is-the-wolf-moon/
   9. https://moon.nasa.gov/moon-observation/daily-moon-guide/?intent=011
  10. https://www.amsmeteors.org/2025/12/viewing-the-2026-quadrantid-meteor-shower/
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260102.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  15. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  17. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  20. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260103
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260104.html
  22. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  23. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  24. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  25. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  27. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  28. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  30. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  33. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  34. http://www.mtu.edu/