Sagar Watch News, January 2, 2026/ As the New Year begins on Earth, a rare and interesting celestial coincidence is unfolding in space. Both the Moon and the Sun are unusually close to Earth, making this weekend special for sky watchers and science enthusiasts alike.
Sharing this information, National Award–winning science communicator Sarika Gharu explained that celestial bodies like the Earth and the Moon move around in elliptical (oval-shaped) orbits.
Because of this, they come closest to each other at one point in the year and move farthest away at another. The start of the New Year marks the time when these bodies are near their closest positions.
Sarika said that on Saturday night at 10:45 pm, the Earth will reach its closest point to the Sun, a position known as perihelion. At this moment, the distance between the Earth and the Sun will be reduced to 147,099,894 kilometers. In contrast, in July, this distance increases to about 152,087,774 kilometers, when Earth is farthest from the Sun.
Meanwhile, several social media posts are describing Saturday’s Moon as a “Wolf Supermoon.” Clarifying this, Sarika said that from an astronomical point of view, the Moon reached its closest point to Earth on January 1 and has now started moving away. Therefore, it appears supermoon-like, but is not a true supermoon.
She added that on reaching the full moon stage, the Moon will be positioned in the Gemini constellation at a distance of about 362,000 kilometers from Earth. The Moon will rise in the evening and remain visible throughout the night. Those eager to witness the largest and brightest true supermoon will have to wait until December 24.
Sarika further noted that during the first week of the New Year, both the Moon and the Earth come close to the Earth and the Sun, respectively. She invited people to celebrate the arrival of 2026 by enjoying this special weekend, marked by the presence of the Sun and Moon close to Earth.
Special Highlights
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Earth reaches perihelion (closest to the Sun) on January 2 at 10:45 pm
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Distance from the Sun reduces to 147.09 million km
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Moon appears supermoon-like, but is not a true supermoon
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Full Moon is visible all night, located in the Gemini constellation
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The brightest supermoon is expected on December 24
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A rare New Year weekend with both Sun and Moon near Earth
