December supermoon

AI Generated Contnet (ChatGpt).

As 2025 draws to a close, skywatchers around the world have one last reason to look up — on December 4, 2025, Earth’s natural satellite will shine at its brightest and largest, marking the year’s final supermoon. Dubbed the “Cold Moon”, this full-moon event promises an enchanting display of lunar brilliance, combining astronomical precision with seasonal symbolism.

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What Is a “Supermoon” — And Why December’s Is Special

A “supermoon” happens when a full moon coincides with perigee, the point in the Moon’s elliptical orbit when it is closest to Earth. This alignment makes the Moon appear subtly larger and noticeably brighter than a typical full moon.

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For the December 2025 event:

The Moon will be just ~357,219 km from Earth — significantly closer than its average distance of ~384,400 km.

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Its apparent diameter will grow to about 33.45 arcminutes, roughly 7.9% larger than average.

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Meanwhile its brightness will increase by around 11–12%, making it visibly more luminous in the night sky.

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Because of this orbital closeness, the Moon’s glow and apparent size — though subtle — will stand out especially at moonrise, when atmospheric effects can exaggerate the Moon’s presence for casual skywatchers.

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When, Where, and How to Watch

The full phase peaks at 23:14 UTC on December 4, 2025.

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For many places (like much of the United States), that translates to the evening of December 4 local time.

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The Moon will rise in the east just as the sun sets, offering a dramatic transition from dusk to lunar light. From then, it remains visible all night.

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For the best view: choose an open spot — rooftops, beaches, fields — away from bright lights and obstructions. Minimal light pollution and a clear eastern horizon will give you the most striking view.

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Binoculars or a small telescope can reveal lunar surface details (craters, maria), but the supermoon is impressive even to the naked eye.

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Why December’s Moon Is Called the “Cold Moon”

Traditional names of full moons often reflect seasonal changes. The December full moon is popularly known as the “Cold Moon” (in some traditions also “Long-Night Moon” or “Moon Before Yule”). The name evokes the chill, darkness, and long nights typical of December — especially in the Northern Hemisphere.

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In 2025, the Cold Moon carries additional significance: it marks the third consecutive supermoon (following October and November).

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It closes out a rare trilogy — a grand finale to the year’s lunar highlights.

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What the December Supermoon Will Look Like — And What Else to Watch

When the Moon rises December 4:

It will hang large and glowing over the eastern horizon, with that mesmerizing “moon-illusion” that makes it look enormous.

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As night deepens, it will trace a high arc across the sky — higher than many other full moons this year.

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In the Northern Hemisphere, the Moon will rise near or along with bright stars and constellations such as the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters, with constellations like Orion, Taurus, and even planets like Jupiter visible nearby — making for a rich winter night sky scene.

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If you catch the supermoon rise at horizon, you have a perfect photo moment: luminous, low, and atmospheric — ideal for long-exposure or landscape-moon photography.

Why It Matters: Beyond the Glow

Astronomically, a supermoon isn’t uncommon — it’s simply a result of orbital geometry.

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Yet emotionally and culturally, events like the December 2025 supermoon evoke wonder, connection, and reflection. It’s the final full moon of the year — a quiet, luminous book-end to 2025. For many, it’s a moment to pause: to reflect, to gather with loved ones under the glow, or just to appreciate the beauty of the sky.

And if you live even far from typical Northern-Hemisphere winter (for example, in a place with no cold December nights), the supermoon still shines just the same — reminding us that Earth, Moon, and sky remain connected, no matter where we are.

If you like — I can also pull up a global almanac for the December 2025 supermoon (moonrise / moonset times) — so you can check exactly when it will appear