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Top astronomy occasions for December 2025
From one of the best meteor bathe of the yr, the Geminids, to the altering seasons on the solstice, listed here are the highest astronomy occasions for December 2025 calendar.
The final full moon of 2025 will rise on Dec. 4, bringing with it brighter skies and a second spherical of king tides to the Oregon Coast.
December’s full moon is named the Cold Moon and can be the final supermoon of 2025. A supermoon happens when the moon occurs to be full at its closest level to the Earth throughout its orbit.
“The path the Moon takes as it orbits our planet is not quite a perfect circle,” in accordance with the NASA website. “Sometimes the Moon is a little closer to Earth and appears slightly larger than average.”
As the moon orbits the Earth, there are a number of instances a yr when its closest level coincides with the complete moon, making a supermoon.
On Dec. 4, the moon may even attain what’s often known as a perigee, or its closest level to Earth of 221,808 miles. The scientific time period for this phenomenon known as a “perigee moon,” in accordance with Jim Todd, director of area science training for OMSI.
“Full Moons that occur on the perigee side of the Moon’s orbit seem extra big and bright,” Todd stated. “A supermoon exceeds the disk size of an average-sized Moon by up to 8% and the brightness of an average-sized full Moon by some 16%.”
During the 2025-26 season, there are 4 supermoons: the October Harvest Moon, the November Beaver Moon, the December Cold Moon and the January Wolf Moon.
Here’s what to find out about December’s Cold Moon.
When is the December 2025 full moon?
The December 2025 full moon will attain peak illumination at 3:14 p.m. PST on Dec. 4.
December’s full moon will seem greater and brighter this month and all through the winter, and the explanation it reaches peak illumination in the course of the day is because of the place it sits in relation to the solar.
“The moon rises and sets, like the sun does, rising towards the east and setting towards the west, reaching its highest point due south around midnight,” Todd stated. “Like with the sun, the maximum distance above the horizon of the ‘full moon’ varies over the year. The Sun is at its lowest due south around noon on the Winter Solstice (Dec. 21) and at its highest due south around noon on the Summer Solstice (June 21).”
Full moons happen when the moon is on the immediately reverse aspect of the Earth from the solar. It’s as if they’re on both aspect of a celestial see-saw, in accordance with Todd.
“On the day when the sun is highest in the middle of the day (in summer), the moon is at its lowest high point at midnight,” Todd stated. “And on the day when the sun is at its lowest high point in the middle of the day (in winter), the moon is at its highest high point at midnight.”
In extra sensible phrases, winter full moons are sometimes excessive overhead and seem brighter earlier within the night as a result of that’s when they’re immediately reverse the solar.
Where does the Cold Moon get its identify?
December’s full moon is a supermoon and known as the Cold Moon.
The identify Cold Moon is alleged to have originated from the Mohawk tribe and was also called the “long night moon” by the Mohicans, primarily based on the frigid circumstances that always happen in December, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Does the supermoon trigger higher-than-usual tides?
Yes, supermoons may cause higher-than-usual tides often known as king tides.
“You might know that especially high tides, sometimes called king tides, tend to fall in the day or so after the full moon for November through January,” Todd stated. “A king tide is a non-scientific term for a very high tide that occurs when the sun, moon, and Earth are aligned, creating a strong gravitational pull on the ocean.”
The first spherical of king tides on the Oregon Coast occurred throughout November’s supermoon between Nov. 5-7. The December supermoon will convey one other spherical of king tides between Dec. 4-6.
What will the climate be like on Dec. 4 in Oregon?
Oregon is predicted to have largely cloudy skies on Dec. 4, with 73-95% probability of cloud cowl all through many of the state, in accordance with the National Weather Service.
Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval will be reached at GSandoval@gannett.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval.
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