Cold Moon Supermoon Rises Dec. 4, 2025 — When and How to See It

The Cold Moon — the December full moon — will rise on Dec. 4, 2025 at 6:14 p.m. It is part of a series of supermoons; a supermoon occurs when a full moon aligns near lunar perigee and can appear about 14% larger and 30% brighter. Traditional Indigenous names for this moon reflect the season, and while you can see it with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope will show more detail. The next full moon, the Wolf Moon, peaks on Jan. 3, 2026 at 5:03 a.m.

03:38 AM, 11/22/2025Science

Cold Moon Supermoon Rises Dec. 4, 2025 — When and How to See It

The December full moon, commonly called the Cold Moon, will rise on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, at 6:14 p.m., according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. It is the final full moon of 2025 and part of a recent run of striking supermoons. The January 2026 full moon will also be a supermoon.

There is no single scientific definition for a supermoon, but when a full moon occurs near lunar perigee — the point in the Moon's orbit closest to Earth — it can appear noticeably larger and brighter. The Natural History Museum estimates a supermoon can look about 14% larger and shine roughly 30% brighter than a typical full moon. By contrast, when the Moon is farthest from Earth at apogee, observers may see a smaller “micromoon.”

The Cold Moon name comes from Indigenous seasonal naming traditions. The Old Farmer’s Almanac notes a Mohawk name that evokes the arrival of truly frigid weather, and it also records the Mohican name Long Night Moon because this full moon rises during the long winter nights near the December solstice.

Other traditional names recorded by the Almanac include:

Drift Clearing Moon (Cree)
Frost Exploding Trees Moon (Cree)
Moon of the Popping Trees (Oglala)
Hoar Frost Moon (Cree)
Snow Moon (Haida, Cherokee)
Winter Maker Moon (Western Abenaki)
Moon When the Deer Shed Their Antlers (Dakota)
Little Spirit Moon (Anishinaabe)

You can enjoy the Cold Moon with the naked eye, but a pair of binoculars or a modest telescope will reveal surface details such as craters and maria. Tim Brothers, an MIT technical instructor and observatory manager, recommends binoculars or a quality telescope whenever possible to enhance the stargazing experience.

The next full moon after the Cold Moon will rise on Jan. 3, 2026, reaching peak illumination at 5:03 a.m. That first full moon of the year is traditionally called the Wolf Moon and will also be a supermoon.

Sources: Old Farmer's Almanac, Natural History Museum, and expert commentary from observatory professionals.