The last full moon of the year is a real show-off. On December 4, the “Cold Supermoon” will rise in Taurus, shine brighter than usual, and climb higher than any other full moon of 2025. It’s the second-biggest full moon of the year and the third in a four-supermoon streak, which feels on-brand for a memorable year, to say the least.
Astronomers say the moon is officially full at 6:14 p.m. EST, but the time that actually matters is moonrise where you live. That’s when it drags itself over the horizon at dusk and looks oversized behind houses and buildings. The “super” label kicks in when a full moon lines up with perigee, the point in its orbit closest to Earth. That geometry makes it appear roughly 10 percent larger and brighter than an average full moon, especially when your brain compares it to landmarks on the horizon.
You get more than one shot at it. Even though the full phase is technically a moment, the Cold Moon will look round and intense the night before and the night after. Friday, December 5, might actually be the most photogenic, with the moon rising about an hour after sunset and sliding into a darker sky. That timing is ideal if you are testing new binoculars or an Amazon starter telescope.
Why December’s ‘Cold Supermoon’ Towers Over Every Other Full Moon This Year
The height is where this one really flexes. As the winter solstice approaches on December 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun runs a low track through the daytime sky. The full moon sits opposite the sun, so when the sun hugs the horizon by day, the December full moon takes the high arc at night. That’s why this Moon climbs higher than any other full moon of the year, hanging over frozen streets, bare trees, and whoever is still out walking the dog after dinner.
It also comes with a long list of names because people have been clocking this lunar moment for a very long time. The Old Farmer’s Almanac records Cree and Oglala names that reference trees cracking in deep cold, Dakota terms tied to deer shedding antlers, and Mohawk and Mohican names like Cold Moon and Long Night Moon. Old English sources bring in Moon Before Yule.
The next significant solar event is the Wolf Moon on January 3, 2026, which will also be a supermoon and the first of thirteen full moons that year. For now, the Cold Supermoon gets the last word in a very insane 2025.
The post The ‘Cold Supermoon’ Is Rising Soon: How to Catch the Last Full Moon of 2025 appeared first on VICE.
