The final full moon of 2024 lights the skies this weekend to welcome in the holiday season.
December's full Cold Moon will rise overnight on Saturday (Dec. 14) and remain in the sky all night until setting with the sunrise on Sunday (Dec. 15). The full moon will rise in the Taurus constellation, just along the Bull's horns close to the neighboring Auriga constellation, the Charioteer. Close by will be a bright Jupiter.
The December full moon also coincides with the peak of the Geminid meteor shower, which should be most active on the night of Dec. 13. The moon might make it difficult to see all but the brightest meteors, but skywatchers should be able to see a few "shooting stars" with a bit of patience and some warm clothing.
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The exact moment of the December full moon occurs at 4:02 a.m. EST (0902 GMT) on Sunday morning, Dec. 15. But even as early as Friday night (Dec. 13), the moon will be 97.9% illuminated, according to Timeanddate, making it appear fairly full to most observers. For two days after the full moon, the moon will remain over 90% illuminated, although the moon will rise later and later each day.
Aside from Jupiter, December's full moon will also share the sky with a bright Venus, shining in the southwest as an "evening star" before setting a few hours after sunset. Saturn will also be prominent, residing high in the sky in the Aquarius constellation for several hours after the moon rises. Mars will rise a few hours after the moon, just above the twins of Gemini.
December's Cold Moon gets its name from the fact that nights are generally long and cold in the year's final month. Other names for the December full moon include the Oak Moon from some Celtic traditions, the Snow Moon in Cherokee traditions, or the Long Night Moon, a name from the Mohican people.
If you want to try taking your own photos of the December full moon, check out our guide on how to photograph the moon. And if you don't have everything you need for shooting the night sky, check out our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography.
Editor's note: If you snap a great photo of December's Full Cold Moon you'd like to share with Space.com and our news partners for a story or image gallery, send images and comments to [email protected].
