Full Moon December 2025: Know The Date, Time And Significance Of This Year’s Last Supermoon

Overview

The December 2025 full moon, known as the Cold Supermoon, will be the final supermoon of the year and one of its most striking lunar events. It is called the “Cold” Moon because it coincides with the onset of colder, longer nights in the Northern Hemisphere, especially across North America.

Date and time

For observers in India, the Cold Supermoon can be seen at its most impressive on December 5, 2025, around 4:44 am local time. Globally, the moon reaches full phase on December 4, 2025, with exact peak illumination occurring roughly 12 hours after it reaches perigee, the closest point in its orbit to Earth.

Visibility tips

Look toward the horizon shortly after moonrise or before moonset to see the moon appear larger and more dramatic due to atmospheric perspective.
Clear, dark skies away from city lights and a wide, unobstructed view of the east or west horizon will significantly improve visibility.

What makes it a supermoon

A supermoon occurs when a full moon closely aligns with perigee, the point where the Moon is nearer to Earth in its slightly elliptical orbit. At this time, the Moon looks somewhat larger and brighter in the sky than an average full moon, even though the actual distance difference is only on the order of about 10%.

In December 2025, the Moon will be at a distance of about 221,000–222,000 miles (around 357,000 km) from Earth near perigee, compared with an average distance of roughly 238,900 miles (about 384,400 km). This places the Cold Supermoon among the largest and brightest full moons of the year and makes it the second-closest full moon of 2025.

Seasonal and cultural significance

Winter and long nights

December’s Cold Moon marks the third of four consecutive supermoons in 2025 and the final one of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is associated with the deepening of winter, when temperatures drop and nights grow longer, especially in higher-latitude regions like Alaska and parts of Scandinavia where darkness can extend for weeks or even months.

This full moon also reaches an unusually high point in the sky for Northern Hemisphere observers, because it stands opposite the low winter Sun close to the December solstice. As a result, it rises relatively early, remains above the horizon for a long time, and appears very high overhead compared with other full moons in the year.

Traditional names

In many Indigenous North American traditions and in later colonial usage, December’s full moon is often called the Cold Moon or the Long Night Moon. These names reflect both the drop in temperature and the extended hours of darkness that characterize this part of the year.

Quick reference table

Aspect	Details
Common name	Cold Moon / Cold Supermoon / Long Night Moon
Date of full phase	December 4, 2025 (global full moon date)
Peak viewing in India	Around 4:44 am on December 5, 2025 IST
Distance from Earth	About 221,000–222,000 miles (~357,000 km) at perigee
Role in 2025 cycle	Last of the year’s supermoons, third in a sequence of four
Seasonal meaning	Onset of colder, longer winter nights in Northern Hemisphere

“This month's full moon is referred to as the Cold Supermoon. This title hints at the temperature drop, particularly in North America, where Indigenous peoples have named this phase the Long Nights Moon. The nights in the northern hemisphere are typically colder and longer.”

Author’s brief summary

The December 2025 Cold Supermoon, last supermoon of the year, will shine unusually large, bright, and high in the winter sky, symbolizing the deepening cold and lengthening nights across the Northern Hemisphere.

Mashable India — 2025-12-01