The Final Full Moon of 2023 Peaks Next Week—Here's How to See December's Cold Moon

Stargazers are in for a Christmas surprise: the final full moon of the year—the Cold Moon—will illuminate the night sky on December 26, according to Space.com.

The moon is expected to reach peak illumination at 7:33 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Although the moon doesn't reach its peak until the day after Christmas, it will appear fully illuminated to our eyes a couple of days before it's a true full moon, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Begin looking in the sky after sunset on December 24 and 25 towards the east, and you will see the Cold Moon just over the horizon.

When viewing December's full Moon, you'll see that it’s nearly at the top of the sky, tracing a long path through the night. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the winter solstice moon takes the highest path along the sky and is above the horizon longer than any other moon.

December's full moon gets its moniker as it conveys the cold weather conditions that this time of year brings. It's also known as the Long Night Moon as it rises during the longest nights of the year and is close to the winter solstice. Other names for the Cold Moon include Moon Before Yule, Drift Clearing Moon, Frost Exploding Trees Moon, Moon of the Popping Trees, among others.