December 2025 Supermoon: When, where, and how to see this year’s final big moon

The year’s final supermoon, known as the Cold Moon, will shine on December 4, marking a bright end to 2025’s lunar calendar.

The Cold Moon, 2025’s final supermoon, will glow in the northeastern sky on December 4, appearing larger and warmer as it rises. (File Image: NASA/Michael Democker)

Skywatchers around the world recently witnessed the Full Beaver Supermoon, and astronomers are already looking forward to the next one. Called the Cold Moon, the third and final supermoon of the year, will appear on Thursday, December 4, and will reach its full phase at 3:44 AM IST.

For those wondering, December marks the start of the coldest and darkest months, which is why the upcoming supermooon is named the “Cold Moon”. Some other names given to the upcoming supermoon includes Drift Clearing Moon, Frost Exploding Trees Moon, Moon of the Popping Trees, Hoar Frost Moon, Snow Moon and Winter Maker Moon. However, it does not mean that the upcoming supermoon will look any different than other supermoons we have seen before.

What exactly is a supermoon?

A supermoon occurs when a full moon is at its closes point to the Earth in its elliptical shaped orbit. This phenomenon causes the moon to shine brighter and appear slighter larger than a normal full moon. Supermoons may not appear bigger if you happen to live in a city full of lights, but you will definitely notice the increased brightness in areas with very little light pollution.

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How to see the Cold Moon?

The Cold Moon will rise in the northeastern part of the sky, and climb higher and higher as midnight approaches. It will form a triangle with the Pleiades star cluister and a bright star named Aldebaran, which is part of the Taurus constellation.

To see the Cold Moon, make sure you go to an area with very less or no city lights. The best time to see the Cold Moon is right before it appears on the horizon. Because of an optical illusion, the full moon will appear bigger and have a warm, orangish tone. This is becvause our planet’s atmosphere filters the moonlight and leaves it with a warm shade.