'Cold Moon' rises tonight: How to watch 2025's final supermoon
What's the story
The final supermoon of 2025, popularly known as the Cold Moon, will grace the night sky today. The celestial event also marks the start of the spectacular Geminid meteor shower, making it a treat for stargazers. The full moon in December is traditionally called the Cold Moon due to freezing temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere during this time.
Moon details
Cold Moon: A rare celestial spectacle
The December full moon, or Cold Moon, will be the third and final supermoon of the year. This is when a full moon coincides with its perigee, or closest point to Earth in its orbit. The result? A larger-than-usual and brighter Moon in the night sky. The Cold Moon is traditionally associated with the winter solstice, which occurs later this month (December 21), marking the longest night of the year.
Future phases
Upcoming moon phases and January's Wolf Supermoon
After the December Cold Supermoon, the next full moon will be the January Wolf Supermoon, rising on Saturday, January 3, 2026. The Cold Moon, also known as the "Long Night Moon," comes after October's Harvest Moon and November's Beaver Moon. For stargazers, even simple binoculars can reveal sharper contrasts along the lunar surface, though the spectacle remains impressive to the naked eye.