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Last supermoon of the year, the cold moon, seen across the U.S.: See the photos
Last supermoon of the year, the cold moon, seen across the U.S.: See the photos

The final full moon of the year — a supermoon known as the cold moon — shone brightly across the world this week.

It follows two other supermoons this year: the harvest supermoon on Oct. 7 and the beaver supermoon on Nov. 5.

A supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with the moon being at its closest point to Earth in its orbit. The moon, as a result, will appear slightly larger and brighter than usual.

According to the Farmers’ Almanac, December’s full moon is known as the cold moon, “reflecting the frigid season.” The almanac website says it’s “also known as the Long Night Moon (Mohican) because it rises during the longest nights of the year, near the winter solstice, and remains above the horizon for an extended period.”

Supermoons appear only three to four times a year, NASA says. And at its closest point to Earth, the moon can appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than a moon that is farthest away from Earth.

The next full supermoon, also known as the wolf moon “because wolves were more likely to be heard howling at this time,” will happen on Jan. 3.

See photos of December’s dazzling supermoon below.

The silhouette of a bridge can be seen against the brightness of the last full moon of the year.
A supermoon, the last full moon of the year, rises behind the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on Dec. 4 in San Francisco. (Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP)
The silhouette of a plane as the supermoon rises on Dec. 4.
A plane flies past as the supermoon rises on Dec. 4. (Kiichiro Sato/AP)
A tree is silhouetted against the last supermoon of the year, also called the cold moon.
A tree is silhouetted against the last supermoon of the year, also called the cold moon, as seen over Bondi Beach in Sydney on Dec. 5. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images)
The cold moon, the last supermoon of 2025, illuminates the sky as a ship passes by, in the Strait of Magellan in Punta Arenas, Chile.
The cold moon, the last supermoon of 2025, illuminates the sky as a ship passes by, in the Strait of Magellan in Punta Arenas, Chile. (Pablo Sanhueza/Reuters)
A supermoon, the last full moon of the year, rises up in the sky, in Istanbul.
A supermoon, the last full moon of the year, rises up in the sky, in Istanbul. (Emrah Gurel/AP)
The supermoon rises beyond lights atop a hotel in Kansas City, Mo.
The supermoon rises beyond lights atop a hotel in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP)
The supermoon rises beyond a deer grazing in a field in Kansas City, Mo.
The supermoon rises beyond a deer grazing in a field in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP)
The last full moon of the year rises in the sky behind a Christmas celebrations wheel in Nicosia, Cyprus.
The last full moon of the year rises in the sky behind a Christmas celebrations wheel in Nicosia, Cyprus. (Petros Karadjias/AP)
The last full moon of the year rises in the sky in Istanbul.
The last full moon of the year rises in the sky in Istanbul. (Emrah Gurel/AP)
The cold supermoon rises behind the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
The cold supermoon rises behind the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Alex Brandon/AP)
The full supermoon rises beyond a bird perched in a tree in Kansas City, Mo.
The full supermoon rises beyond a bird perched in a tree in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP)
The supermoon rises over a saguaro cactus at South Mountain Park in Phoenix.
The supermoon rises over a saguaro cactus at South Mountain Park in Phoenix. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)
The cold moon rises over the Superstition Mountains in Phoenix.
The cold moon rises over the Superstition Mountains in Phoenix. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)
The supermoon, as seen in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The supermoon, as seen in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (Heng Sinith/AP)
A couple and their daughter use a telescope to observe the last supermoon of 2025, in Aguimes, on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain.
A couple and their daughter use a telescope to observe the last supermoon of 2025, in Aguimes, on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain. (Borja Suarez/Reuters)

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