The last full moon of the year is nearly ready to brighten the sky and dazzle onlookers!
Known as the Cold Moon, or the Long Night Moon, it will rise on Tuesday, December 26th at around 3:45 p.m. and reach its peak glow at around midnight—steadily carrying on in its beauty throughout the early hours of the morning.
Although its fullest point occurs on the 26th, the Cold Moon will start to appear full on December 24th and 25th—thankfully aligning with Santa’s schedule and benefitting him on his long journey across the globe!
Plus, with it transpiring a few days after the winter solstice, this natural night light is a wonderful treat to observe and carry us through the long hours of the night.
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the name “Cold Moon” is a Mohawk name, meant to convey the frigid conditions this time of year and how it really begins to grip us until spring.
“Long Night” moon is a Mohican name, paying homage to the longest nights of the year as it’s near the winter solstice.
As described, it’s doubly fitting because December’s full moon appears to shine above the horizon for a longer period of time compared to other full moons.
If you’re curious, some other names for this moon include Drift Clearing Moon (Cree), Frost Exploding Trees Moon (Cree), Moon of the Popping Trees (Oglala), Hoar Frost Moon (Cree), Snow Moon (Haida, Cherokee), and Winter Maker Moon (Western Abenaki).
Go and gather some blankets, throw on warm clothing, and make a pot of hot chocolate for the best moon viewing experience—make it extra special with family and loved ones.
Vancouver Island might be calling for rain, but we’re hopeful it’ll clear up by then!
If the sky does happen to open up and you’re looking for the best spots to watch the moon from, you can take a look at the article we wrote for the supermoon back in July for the best vantage points.
