Don't Miss It: The Full Wolf Moon Peaks Today—Here's How to See It

Calling all stargazers: The first full moon of the new year, called the Wolf Moon, will reach peak illumination today at 12:54 p.m. EST., according to NASA.

A full moon takes place when the moon is on the opposite side of Earth in relation to the sun. The moon looks especially bright from our view because of the sun's light reflected from it. January's full moon appears from the eastern horizon and will appear full until about midnight Friday night.

When viewing the Wolf Moon, no special binoculars or telescopes are needed—all you need to do is go outside and enjoy the view. "Make sure you are ready for the cold weather and take advantage of these early sunsets to enjoy and share the wonders of the night sky," NASA said.

Full moon names come from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. As the full moon in January, the Wolf Moon gets its moniker from the packs of wolves heard howling outside the villages amid the cold and deep snows of winter.

January's full moon is also known as the Center Moon because it typically marks the middle of the cold season, the Old Farmer's Almanac reports. Additional names for this moon include the Ice Moon, the Old Moon, and the Hard Moon.