Icy supermoon is on its way. On December 4, the Earth’s satellite will delight us with one of the last astronomical spectacles in 2025. Not only will it be the last full moon of the year, but it will also be a frosty moon – a reference to the low temperatures typical of this time of year – and finally a supermoon. Here’s how and when to best enjoy this end-of-year sky spectacle.
What is a supermoon?
The term supermoon refers to the full moon that occurs when our satellite is at perigee, the point at which its orbit brings it closest to our planet. (The Moon’s orbit is elliptical, and its distance from Earth varies from about 407,000 km at apogee, the point of maximum distance, to about 380,000 km at perigee.)
Except this is the third consecutive supermoon of the year, as reported Earth Skyit will be about 357,000 km away, making it the second closest full moon of the year. Therefore, it will also be the second largest and brightest.
Although most of us won’t notice any difference in size compared to a normal full moon (it appears up to 8 percent larger to us), its brightness can exceed that of a regular full moon by 16 percent. This time, it will be fully illuminated just 12 hours after perigee.
Icy Supermoon
In addition to its name, which refers to the low temperatures during this period, December’s full moon will be the last of 12 full moons in 2025 and the highest of the year. As the winter solstice approaches on December 21, the sun is at its lowest point in the sky, so the full moon is at its highest point. In other words, this means that the super-cold moon will be especially high in the sky. How Earth Sky however, it indicates that this is not the full moon closest to the December 21st solstice. Although it will occur 17 days earlier, the first full moon of 2026 will occur on January 3 – just 12 days after the solstice. This will be the fourth and last supermoon in a row.
How to enjoy the show
Although the moon may appear full both the night before and the following night, the exact time of the full moon is scheduled for Thursday, December 4 at 6:14 p.m. EST. Generally speaking, moonrise is the best time to undergo the so-called lunar illusion, during which the moon appears larger than usual. NASA still doesn’t have a scientific explanation for why this happens, but as you might expect, the effect is greatest during a supermoon. So, weather permitting, find an elevated spot or meadow with an unobstructed view of the eastern horizon and enjoy the last moon show of the year.
This story originally appeared on WIRED Italy and was translated from Italian.