Full Moon December 2025: The Cold Supermoon Peaks Tonight

The final full Moon of the year arrives tonight as a striking Cold Moon—and it’s also a supermoon, meaning the Moon is near perigee and appears a bit larger and brighter than average. The moment of full illumination occurs on Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 23:14 UTC. That timing aligns closely with evening hours across the Americas and late night in Europe and Africa, offering dramatic moonrise views against twilight skies.

Full Moon December 2025: Exact Times by Region

Below are peak times for the Cold Supermoon in several major time zones. Moonrise varies by location; the table shows the instant of full phase.

Note: Local clock differences and daylight/standard time rules may shift your exact conversion by a minute. The astronomical moment is fixed at 23:14 UTC.

Why the December 2025 Full Moon Is a Supermoon

A supermoon occurs when the full phase aligns closely with the Moon’s nearest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit. Tonight’s Cold Moon arrives with the Moon roughly ~357,000 km from Earth, making its apparent disk slightly larger and brighter than an average full Moon. Most people won’t notice the size change without a side-by-side comparison, but the contrast at moonrise—when the Moon sits low near buildings or landscape—enhances the effect and can feel visually dramatic.

Where to Look and What to Expect

• Direction & timing: Look east around local moonrise for the most photogenic views as the Moon clears the horizon. In North America, that coincides with dusk and the “blue hour,” creating deep color contrast. In the UK and much of Europe, the Moon is already bright and high by late evening; in North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean, the peak comes after midnight.

• Altitude & season: December’s full Moon rides high in the sky for northern latitudes because the Sun is low near the winter solstice. A higher arc means the Moon stays up longer and shines brighter overhead.

• Constellation backdrop: The Moon sits in Taurus, crossing a region of sky rich with bright winter stars. Wide-angle photos can frame it near the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters on select hours of the night.

Cold Moon traditions and names

The December full Moon is often called the Cold Moon, reflecting deepening winter. You may also hear Long Night Moon or Oak Moon in some traditions, nodding to the long darkness of December nights in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, this full Moon lands in early summer, yet still treats observers to the same supermoon brightness.

Viewing Tips for the December 2025 Supermoon

• Scout your horizon: Choose a spot with an unobstructed eastern view (waterfronts, hilltops, rooftops). The lower the horizon, the earlier you’ll catch that large, orange-tinted disk.

• Use foregrounds: Compose photos with buildings, trees, or landmarks to emphasize scale; the “Moon illusion” near the horizon boosts the supermoon impact.

• Stabilize for detail: A smartphone on night mode or a camera at ISO 100–400, 1/125–1/500 s, and a moderate telephoto can capture sharp crater detail once the Moon rises higher.

• Mind the glare: As the Moon climbs, reduce exposure to preserve texture and avoid a blown-out disk.

• Check local weather: Thin clouds can actually add mood and color; heavy overcast, of course, obscures the view.

What’s Next After the Full Moon December 2025

In the days following the peak, the Moon begins to wane, with the last quarter arriving about a week later and new Moon later in the month. December’s sky also features the Geminid meteor shower in mid-month, which benefits from the Moon setting earlier each night after the full phase—ideal for meteor watching near the shower’s peak.

Whether you’re stepping outside at dusk in the Americas or catching it past midnight in Africa and Europe, tonight’s Cold Supermoon delivers a bright, high-riding finale to 2025’s lunar calendar.