Full moon this week: When is December’s supermoon ‘Cold Moon’? List of 2026 full moons

Skywatchers are in for a treat this week as the final full moon of 2025, known as the ‘Cold Moon’, rises this week

Published on: Dec 4, 2025, 04:15:47 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Skywatchers are in for a treat this week as the final full moon of 2025, known as the ‘Cold Moon’, rises on December 5. If weather or city skylines block your view, several livestreams will broadcast the event in real time.

A full moon will rise this week (Unsplash)

Traditionally called the ‘Cold Moon’ for the sharp drop in temperatures across the Northern Hemisphere, December’s full moon is also referred to as the 'Moon Before Yule', marking the final lunar event before Christmas.

This month’s spectacle coincides with the moon passing within 90% of its perigee, making it shine up to 30% brighter and appear noticeably larger than the year’s smallest full moon.

This full moon arrives just as an 18.6-year ‘Major Lunar Standstill’ cycle winds down. During this rare phase, the moon’s orbital tilt peaks, causing the lunar disk to rise farther north on the horizon and climb higher into the autumn sky than usual.

Where to watch the Cold Moon online

Virtual Telescope Project

The Virtual Telescope Project will begin its broadcast on December 4 at 3 PM EST, offering live telescopic views from Manciano, Italy.

Griffith Observatory

Los Angeles’ Griffith Observatory will follow with its own livestream on December 5 at 8:27 PM EST.

Full Moon Dates 2026

January 3, 2026

February 1, 2026

March 3, 2026

April 1, 2026

May 1, 2026

May 31, 2026

June 29, 2026

July 29, 2026

August 27, 2026

September 26, 2026

October 26, 2026

November 24, 2026

December 23, 2026

Full Moon Names 2026

Wolf Moon — January 3, 2026 (supermoon)

Snow Moon — February 1, 2026

Worm Moon — March 3, 2026

Pink Moon — April 1, 2026

Flower Moon — May 1, 2026

Strawberry Moon — June 29, 2026

Buck Moon — July 29, 2026

Sturgeon Moon — August 27, 2026

Corn Moon (Harvest Moon) — September 26, 2026

Hunter’s Moon — October 26, 2026

Beaver Moon — November 24, 2026 (supermoon)

Cold Moon — December 23, 2026 (supermoon)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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