What time is the December 2023 full moon and where can I see it from?
The last full moon of the year is often called the ‘Cold Moon’ or the ‘Longest Night Moon’ occurring near the Winter Solstice. Here’s when to see it…
The last full moon of the year will reach its peak intensity on 26 December. While that didn’t occur in time to happen on the night between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, those who were able to take in a crisp clear starry night on either date could have been fooled as it appeared so to the naked eye. You’ll have to wait until 2034 for a true Christmas full moon.
The final full moon of 2023 will be at its absolute most spectacular at 7:33 pm ET this Tuesday evening.
Where can I see the December 2023 full moon?
The December full moon goes by several names but is generally called the ‘Cold Moon’ or the ‘Longest Night Moon’ as it occurs close to the Winter Solstice, 21 December, when the Sun is at its lowest to the horizon in the Northern Hemisphere and winter officially begins.
The Moon will travel high through the night sky once it comes over the horizon. You can check the time of the moonrise where you live using the handy moonrise and moonset calculator for locations in the United States available at the Old Farmer’s Almanac. For the most spectacular views, you’ll want to find a good spot with an unobstructed view of the horizon and pray that it’s not cloudy.
Catching sight of the event as it comes into view will make it seem even bigger than it really is thanks to the ‘big moon illusion’. To know exactly where it will appear on the horizon there is an online application MoonCalc, which will come in useful if you want to take a picture.
How to take a picture of the ‘Cold Moon’?
If you are looking to catch the perfect photo of the supermoon there are some tools that can help you. For your smartphone there is a useful app, PhotoPills, available for iOS and Android. So that you can make the most of using the app PetaPixel gives a walk through of the app’s features.