First supermoon of 2026 to be visible in Pakistan on Jan 3 and 4: Suparco

The first supermoon of 2026, traditionally known as the Wolf moon, will be visible in Pakistan on January 3 and 4, according to a statement issued by Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) on Friday. A supermoon occurs when the moon reaches its closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit, causing it to appear unusually large and bright — up to 14 per cent larger and nearly 30pc brighter than a typical full moon. “In Pakistan, the supermoon will rise at 5:51pm PKT on the evening of Jan 3, with an illumination of 99.8pc, and remains visible throughout the nights of Jan 3 and 4,” read the statement. During the current event, which marks the final supermoon of the cycle that began in October 2025, the Earth–Moon distance will be approximately 362,312 kilometers, making the moon appear about 6 to 7 per cent larger and up to 10 per cent brighter than a typical full moon, it stated. Supermoons typically occur in sequences of three to four consecutive events, with the current cycle concluding with the January 3 supermoon. The next cycle starts in November 2026. In 2025, the first of the three supermoons lit up the country’s skies on October 7 , followed by another on November 5 , called the Beaver supermoon. The last supermoon of the year was visible across Pakistan on December 4 and 5.