Cold Moon 2025: Last Supermoon of the Year To Grace Night Sky Today; Know if It Will Be Visible in India
The December full moon, also known as the Cold Moon, is the third and the last supermoon of 2025. The December Supermoon or Cold Moon will appear larger and brighter than usual today, December 4, as it arrives as a supermoon. Scroll below to know why it is called Cold Moon and if it will be visible in India or no.
Mumbai, December 4: The last Supermoon of the year will grace the night sky in India and other parts of the world today, December 4. The last Supermoon of 2025 is also known as Cold Moon, Cold Supermoon or December Supermoon. Notably, the last Supermoon will close the 25th year of the 21st century with a rare celestial event. The final Supermoon of 2025 is a brilliant full moon, which will dominate the night sky tonight and appear larger and brighter than usual as it arrives as a Supermoon.
It is worth noting that the December full moon (December Cold Moon) will appear larger and brighter than usual as it turns full very close to the Moon's closest point to Earth in its orbit. This phenomenon astronomers call a Supermoon. Today's Supermoon or cold moon will be the third and last Supermoon of 2025. Did you know the December full moon, also called Supermoon, is traditionally called the Cold Moon? The name is associated with the onset of winter. So when and where to see the last Supermoon or Cold Moon of December 2025. Don't Miss the Last Supermoon of 2025 on December 4.
Cold Moon or Cold Supermoon Peak Timing and Visibility in India
The cold moon or Cold Supermoon will reach full phase today, December 4 and on Friday, December 5, with peak illumination, depending on the source. That said, the best time to catch the rare celestial event is just after moonrise today, when the moon or the December Cold Moon, will appear larger and brighter. The last supermoon of 2025, or Cold Moon, will be visible in several parts of India and peak at around 6:14 PM. The peak illumination of the December Supermoon will take place at 4:44 AM on December 5.
Why Is December Cold Moon Rare?
The cold moon or December supermoon is special as it brings two phenomena together - the Supermoon and the Lunar occultation. In a Supermoon, the appears larger and brighter due to its proximity to the Earth. On the other hand, the December supermoon becomes special due to Lunar occultation as the moon will glide across the Pleiades, which is a cluster of young and hot blue stars. During occultation, the Pleiades, which are usually seen as a faint blur, flicker at the Moon's edges, thereby creating a visually striking effect.
So, when does a supermoon occur? Supermoons take place when the full moon coincides with the moon's closest approach to Earth, also known as the moon's perigee. Due to this, the moon appears 10 per cent larger and much brighter than usual. Today, the moon or the last supermoon of 2025, will be around 17,000 miles (27,300 kilometres) closer to Earth. Do you know that each full moon has a descriptive name which relates to the time of year it occurs? For example, the December full moon is called the Cold Moon, whereas the January full moon is called the Wolf Moon.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 04, 2025 04:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).