The Final Supermoon of 2025 Is This Week: When to See the Cold Moon at Its Brightest
Your last chance to see a supermoon in 2025 is this week, with the full moon scheduled for Thursday, December 4. But even if you don’t plan to go out and see it, you’ll probably spot it anyway, because it will be the brightest thing in the dark night sky.
December’s Cold Moon is the third of four consecutive supermoons and the last of 2025. Supermoons tend to come in groups of four because of the way the Moon orbits Earth. The orbit is elliptical, meaning the moon is closer in some months and further away in others. When it is close to Earth, it is called perigee, and full moons during perigee are considered supermoons.
The difference in size between an average full moon and a super moon can be subtle.
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As it is closer, the moon will be slightly larger and brighter in the night sky. According to NASA, a supermoon is 14% larger and 33% brighter than a micromoon, which occurs during full moons, when the moon is at its furthest point from Earth, a phenomenon known as apogee. So this is the best time to observe a full moon apart from special events like blood moons or blood moons. lunar eclipses.
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When is the full moon in December?
The Farmers’ Almanac reports that the December full moon will occur on the evening of December 4th. It will reach peak illumination at 6:14 p.m. ET. It should be dark enough to see across most of the United States, but otherwise it will stay full all night. Those who can’t see it due to weather can see a moon more than 90% full from December 2 to 6.
You don’t need any special equipment to see the moon, as it will be by far the brightest thing in the night sky. People who want to see more detail can certainly use a telescope or binoculars if they wish, which will allow them to better see the different craters and textures of the moon.
The December full moon is often called the cold moon because it usually occurs when the weather starts to get quite cold. The moon deserves its name this time around, as the Thanksgiving polar vortex is expected to persist for some time. The polar vortex will drop temperatures across the US East Coast this week, so if you’re heading outside, be sure to bundle up.
