The final full Moon of 2023—the “Cold Moon”—is the year’s 13th and will look at its brilliant best as it rises in the east just as the sun sets in the west.
Also sometimes called the “Long Nights Moon,” the “Moon After Yule,” the “Wolf Moon” in Celtic nations and the “Oak Moon,” December’s full moon is also notable for being the highest-hanging full moon of the year.
Here’s everything you need to know about the full “Cold Moon” including exactly when, where and how to see it at its biggest, brightest and most colorful from where you are:
When is the ‘Cold Moon?’
The “Cold Moon” will officially be 100% illuminated at 7:34 p.m. EST on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, but when to see it differs according to where you are on the globe.
Catch it as it rises and the full “Cold Moon” will look both more colorful and larger than it will at any other time of night—but only for about 15 minutes. It’s also more impactful because it’s being viewed in dusk, not darkness. However, this month it’s only possible to see the full moon rise during dusk in Europe and the eastern side of North America.
The Thirteenth Full Moon
The “Cold Moon” is the 13th full moon of 2023. How can that be when normally there is one full moon each month? The moon takes 29.53 days to orbit the Earth and a solar year is 365 days. However, 12 orbits of the moon around Earth take 354 days. That leaves 11 days. So if the year’s first full moon occurs before January 11 then there will be 13 full moons. That’s what happened this year, with the “Wolf Moon” rising on January 6.
Precisely 354 days later, the “Cold Moon” will rise to become 2023’s 13th and final full moon.
The “extra” full moon was this year called the “Blue Moon,” the term used to describe the second full moon in a calendar month that contains two full moons. This “monthly Blue Moon” occurred on August 30.
Highest Full Moon of The Year
December’s full moon is always at its highest point in the sky. Just 10 days before the solstice, the longest night of the year, the “Cold Moon” will take a higher, more northerly path across the night sky. This is because the moon is opposite the sun, which is low in the sky at this time of year. As a result, the moon will be above the horizon for longer than at other times of the year, and it will pass as close to the zenith (the point directly overhead) as it ever does.
The ‘Cold Moon’ Belongs To 2024
Astronomical seasons begin and end on solstices and equinoxes. Since the December solstice took place on December 21, that’s when the season of winter began. So while it may seem like the “Cold Moon” belongs to 2023, it’s actually part of 2024.
Best Time to See the ‘Cold Moon’
A full moon looks its most impressive when it’s viewed on the eastern horizon just after the sun has set in the west. The “Cold Moon” will officially be 100% illuminated at 7:34 p.m. EST on Tuesday, December 26, but since the best views of a full moon rising are during dusk only the Europe and the east coast of North America get decent views.
The “Cold Moon” will rise in the east just after sunset, shine brightly all night and then set in the west close to sunrise (check the exact times of moonrise and moonset for your location).
Wednesday, December 26
- In New York sunset is at 4:35 p.m. EST and moonrise is at 5:00 p.m. EST.
Thursday, December 27
- In London sunset is at 3:57 p.m. GMT and moonrise is at 3:52 p.m. GMT.
When is The Next Full Moon?
The next full moon after the “Cold Moon” is the full “Wolf Moon” on January 25, 2025—the second full moon of winter and the first of 12 full moons in 2024.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
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