The Last Full Moon of 2019, the ‘Full Cold Moon’: What You Need to Know–and Why You Should Make a Wish

(REMY GABALDA/AFP via Getty Images)

The last full moon of 2019 is called the “Full Cold Moon,” and it will appear for three nights, starting Tuesday evening through till Friday morning—and you might want to make a wish as you gaze upon the night’s sky for this one. Shooting stars shall be aplenty!

So, here is what you need to know, plus some of the things that make this year’s final full moon so special:

Illustration - Shutterstock | Claudio Divizia

Some Native American tribes have traditionally called the December full moon the “Full Cold Moon,” as it ushers in the cold season at the beginning of winter. They also call it the “Long Nights Moon,” for it rises around winter solstice on one of the longest nights of the year. Europeans have traditionally called it the “Moon Before Yule,” marking the Yule Tide holiday.

According to NASA, the Full Cold Moon will be at its fullest around 12:12 a.m. Eastern Time—that’s 12:12 a.m. on 12/12 (Thursday night). Look for the full moon to first appear above the horizon just before sunset. It will appear larger than usual due to an optical illusion, according to Cincinati.com, and its high trajectory across the night sky is what makes this moon so special, the Old Farmer’s Almanac states. It will last for a total of 14 hours and 58 minutes, and that will coincide with 14 hours and 13 minutes of sundown, according to NASA.

Now, here’s why you might want to make a wish as you stare up into the heavens this evening:

Supermoons happen when a full moon approximately coincides with the moon's perigee, or a point in its orbit at which it is closest to Earth. This makes the moon appear up to 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than usual. (©Getty Images | DIMITAR DILKOFF)

The Geminid Meteor Shower Occurs Once Every Year

Why wish upon the night sky during your moon gazing tonight? In case you happen to spot a shooting star! The Full Cold Moon also happens to coincide with the Geminid Meteor Shower—the most active, prolific meteor shower of the year! It can be seen every night for about two weeks starting from early December. The shooting stars will look their best on the night of Friday, December 13^th.

The meteor shower will first appear around 9 p.m., will peak around 2 a.m., and last into the morning hours. The luminous lunar orb, also present during these same hours, could make meteor gazing less than easy, washing out the night sky with light. Seek out a dark patch of empty sky to catch a glimpse of a shooting star, and don’t forget to make a wish!

The next full moon (the first full moon of 2020), is called the “Full Wolf Moon,” and it will appear in the sky on Jan. 10, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

This photo taken late Dec. 14, 2018, with a long-time exposure shows a meteor streaking through the night sky over Myanmar during the Geminid meteor shower seen from Wundwin township near Mandalay City. (©Getty Images | Ye Aung THU)