Science

Cold Moon 2019: Last full moon of the decade TONIGHT – What is a Cold Moon?


December 12, 2019, will see the last full moon of the decade as the next lunar cycle will usher in the 20s. The mid-winter moon will linger over the sky for longer than usual, much like how the sun does during the Summer Solstice. Despite looking as if the moon is bigger than average, this moon is not a supermoon, which is when our lunar satellite is 226,000 miles away from Earth or closer – tonight’s full moon does not fit into that category.

This full moon is classed as a Cold Moon however, aptly named considering it comes in the coldest month.

The Cold Moon has other names too, including the Full Cold Moon or the Full Long Night’s Moon.

The Farmers Almanac website explained: “During this month the winter cold fastens its grip, and nights are at their longest and darkest. It is also sometimes called the Moon before Yule.

“The term Long Night’s Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long, and because the Moon is above the horizon for a long time.

“The midwinter full Moon has a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite a low Sun.”

NASA explained on its website: “Europeans call the December full moon the Moon before Yule.

“Yule is an old northern European winter festival that is now associated with Christmas.

“The Native American names for the full moon in December — as reported in the Farmer’s Almanac — are the Cold Moon or the Long Night Moon.

“The Cold Moon gets its name because December is the month when it really starts to get cold, although our coldest average temperatures are in January.

READ MORE: Full Moon effect on humans: Can the Cold Moon affect your mood?

What Full Moons can you expect next year?

January 10: Wolf Moon

February 9: Snow Moon

March 9: Worm Moon

April 8: Pink Moon

May 7: Flower Moon

June 5: Strawberry Moon

July 5: Buck Moon

August 3: Sturgeon Moon

September 2: Full Corn Moon

October 2: Hunter’s Moon

October 31: Blue Moon

November 30: Beaver’s Moon

December 30: Cold Moon



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