Cold Moon rising: How to see December’s supermoon, the last full moon of 2025
December’s full moon will shine brighter as it nears perigee, its closest point to Earth. The moon averages 238,855 miles away, but on Dec. 4 it will be about 17,000 miles closer.
Catch the rise of the Super Cold Moon on the night of Dec. 4-5. AccuWeather’s Anna Azallion explains the origins of this month’s full moon and why it’s being called a supermoon.
Baby, it will be cold outside when the full moon rises high in the night sky on Thursday — a fitting backdrop for what’s known as the Cold Moon, especially as the polar vortex ushers in frigid air.
The last full moon of the year will also be a supermoon, appearing slightly larger and brighter than usual when it rises Thursday night. Peak illumination is at 6:14 p.m. EST, according to Timeanddate.com, though the moon will appear full for two nights before and after its peak.
December’s full moon will shine brighter because it occurs as the moon approaches perigee, the point in its orbit when it is closest to Earth. On average, the moon is 238,855 miles away, but on Dec. 4, it will be roughly 17,000 miles closer.
This is the third supermoon of 2025. These especially large full moons tend to happen in a series; November’s was slightly closer to Earth.
A view of the Full Moon or Cold Full Moon between Christmas lights, on December 15, 2024, in San Salvador, El Salvador. (Photo by APHOTOGRAFIA/Getty Images)
The best time to view the moon will be just after moonrise in the evening, when it appears larger near the horizon.
December’s full moon is traditionally called the Cold Moon, a name linked to the arrival of Arctic air across North America. Other names for the final full moon of the year include the Winter Maker Moon, Long Night Moon, Moon of the Popping Trees and Little Spirit Moon — all nods to the season’s chill and lengthy nights.
How the moon appears when it is at perigee, its closest point to the Earth, and when it is at apogee, its farthest point from the Earth. (AccuWeather)
When is the first full moon of 2026?
The Wolf Moon kicks off the new year on Jan. 3. While it won’t be a supermoon, it will occur just a couple of days after perigee on Jan. 1, making it slightly brighter and larger than the year’s other full moons.
When are the supermoons in 2026?
As in 2025, the supermoons will come in the final stretch of the year.
The full moons in October, November and December will each occur within about 48 hours of perigee, qualifying them as supermoons.
