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 __________________________________________________________________ [11]< | [12]Archive | [13]Submissions | [14]Index | [15]Search | [16]Calendar | [17]RSS | [18]Education | [19]About APOD | [20]Discuss | [21]> __________________________________________________________________ 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/