The Cold Supermoon of December 2025 will be the last full moon of the year and the highest in the sky: a rare event that will not repeat until 2042 and which combines astronomical coincidences and traditions of Native Americans and European cultures.
From Fly me to the moon Of Frank Sinatra to The Killing Moon Of Echo and the Bunnymen heard in Stranger Thingspassing through Moon tan Of Mina until The moon is Of Ornella Vanoni. There Moon she has always been a protagonist ethereal of music, and it will also be in the sky of December 5th in one last great one show before the end of the year. There Cold Supermoon will illuminate the night at the most extreme point of the celestial vault with an intensity and grandeur that will not be repeated for almost two decades, until the next 2042. It will be the last full moon of 2025 and the third consecutive Supermoon of the year, after that of the Beaver in November.
When and where to observe the Cold Supermoon
When will he be at perigeethe minimum distance from Earth during its orbit, the satellite will find itself alone 356,961 kilometres from the green and blue planet, just 129 kilometers further away than November’s huge Supermoon. The best time to admire it is after sunset Of Thursday 4 Decemberwhen it rises on the horizon and thelunar illusion will make it appear even larger and more spectacular than usual: the optical effect occurs when the Moon it is low on the sunset line and the human brain compares it to terrestrial objects such as buildings and trees, amplifying it the apparent dimensions. Instead, the full moon exact will occur at 00:14 of December 5th. It will still appear a lot bright even on the previous and following nights, if you already wanted to observe it more particularly than usual.
In addition to exceptional brightness and size, this Full moon it will also be the highest of the sky of the year innorthern hemispherebeing close to the winter solstice when the Sun is at its lowest point. Not only that, the lunar charm will be visible in the constellation of Taurus close to Pleiadescreating an atmosphere unique visible especially away from city lights.
The origins of the name in Native Americans
The name Cold Moon comes from Native American traditions, particularly the Mohawks and come on Mohicans: the first, i Kanienkeh of North Americathey considered the full moon in December to be the actual start of winter and the arrival of preparatory cold to the winter season, while i Mohicans they recognized in this period the longer nights of the year, dubbing the lunar satellite as Moon of the Long Nightsbecause it occurs near the most prolonged darkness of the year on the winter solstice of December 21st.
Other well-known names are Clearance Moondue to the belief that it possesses the power to drive away negative energies, e Bright Rime Moonbecause during these nights the frost is illuminate longer than expected. In European Celtic traditions, it was the Moon after Yulein which Yule it was the winter solstice celebration: it derives from Scandinavian or Anglo-Saxon Iul or from Norwegian juli.e. “wheel”, indicating a fundamental moment in the Wheel of the Year: the Sun then returns to illuminate the days for longer, exorcising the darkness.
There Cold Supermoon it is, therefore, the opportunity to drive away what remained negative of 2025 and return serene. «It’s a supernatural delighteverybody’s dancing in the moonlight” (it’s a supernatural delight, everyone dances in the moonlight) sang the keyboard player Joe Washbourn of the Toploader.
