We are in store for a bright Christmas night as the moon will appear full on Christmas, but here is when to see the full Cold Moon.

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Full Moons

There's just something special about a full moon. I always love looking up at the night sky and seeing which phase the moon is in, but during the winter season when the nights seem so long, it's nice to have a little extra brightness during full moons.  The final full moon of 2023 is the Cold Moon, so why is it called the Cold Moon and when can we see it?

December's Cold Moon is  Almost a full Christmas Moon

While full moons only happen once every lunar cycle, to our eyes the moon can appear full for a few days, and because of this, the moon will appear full on Christmas!  So when is the Cold Moon? The full Cold Moon will happen on December 26th and will peak around 7:33 EST which is 6:33 CST (Evansville time).

Why is it called the Cold Moon?

Each full moon has its own nickname, and December's full moon is appropriately named the Cold Moon.  For many of us, December marks the start of the winter season, so that is why this moon is commonly called the Cold Moon.

Here is what Farmer's Almanac has to say about the December Cold Moon:

The name “Cold Moon” is a descriptive label for the December full Moon, used by various native North American tribes and Celtic culture. In the Northern Hemisphere, December often marks the coldest day of the year, although temperatures can significantly vary, and record lows can happen at any point during the winter months. Since December signifies the official start of winter, it is often associated with the coldest temperatures, as the season settles and intensifies. This is also reflected in the Chinese name for this month’s Moon, “Bitter Moon,” which likely alludes to the bitter cold that arrives in December.

Since the moon will appear full for Christmas, look up in the sky, maybe you'll catch a glimpse of Santa's sleigh flying by the full moon!