A cold moon will soon shine over California. Here’s when and what that means
A cold moon will shine over California next week, marking the first full moon following the winter solstice.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, December’s full moon will rise near sunset on Sunday, Christmas Day, and remain shining through Tuesday.
It will be 100% illuminated at 4:33 p.m. Monday, the Farmer’s Almanac said.
What is a cold moon? Why is it called that?
The full moon in December is called a “cold moon,” a name that comes from Native Americans, according to the almanac.
Names for the moon help tribes track seasons.
The cold moon is a Mohawk name that signifies the cold weather that typically begins during this time of year.
This full moon is also called the moon before Yule, because it arrives before the pagan Yuletide celebration, and the long night moon because it rises during the longest nights of the year.
Other names for the moon in December include Drift Clearing Moon, Frost Exploding Trees Moon, Snow Moon and Winter Maker Moon.
Does this full moon look different from others?
During the cold moon, the moon will be in its highest path in the sky. It will also be above the horizon longer than other moons.
When can I see the cold moon in California?
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, you can see the cold moon at 4:33 p.m. Monday in California.
“To our eyes, the moon’s disk will appear fully illuminated a couple of days before a full moon, so start looking on Dec. 24 and 25 towards the east after sunset as it peaks over the horizon,” the almanac said.
The cold moon will be the final full moon of 2023.
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