Cold Moon 2024: Watch the last full moon of the year rise with Jupiter this weekend

Than that last full moon of both in 2024 This fall, the rise of the Cold Moon will provide a spectacular, if chilly, finale to the celestial calendar.

Officially full at 4:01 a.m. EST this Sunday (December 15), the Moon is best seen rising in the east later in the day Moonrise time where you are. It will be in the constellation Taurus, surrounded by some of the night sky’s brightest stars and the planet Jupiter.

The moon will also appear bright and full on Saturday (December 14) and Monday (December 16).

Although it is easy to see with the naked eye, a couple Binoculars or a small entry-level telescope Get a great close-up of the orange lunar surface as it appears over the eastern horizon.

The Cold Moon is so named because it rises just a week before the December solstice, the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere that signals the start of astronomical winter. Also known as the “Moon of Long Nights” and “Moon before Yule,” it refers to a pagan festival that coincides with the solstice.

Related: Geminid meteor shower 2024: How to see the last big shooting star show of the year before it’s too late

While according to the Mohawk culture, the name Cold Moon comes from the Mohawk culture Old Farmer’s Almanacother Native American names include Drift Clearing Moon, Hoar Frost Moon, Snow Moon and Winter Maker Moon. Accordingly Time and dateCold Moon and Oak Moon are also names from Celtic culture that refer to the full moon in December.

Since the Moon is opposite the Sun, the Moon reflects the movements of the Sun. When the Sun is at the lowest point in the southern daytime sky as seen from the Northern Hemisphere, the Cold Moon is at its highest.

On the night of the full moon, our natural satellite will shine below Capella in the constellation Auriga and above Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion, with Jupiter to the right. The largest planet will be clearly visible in the night sky throughout the month.

The Cold Moon also rises near the summit Geminid meteor showerone of the most prolific “shooting stars” shows of the year. Unfortunately, the glare from the bright moon will make it harder to spot as many meteors as usual.

The next full moon after the Cold Moon will be the Wolf Moon, which will become full on January 13, 2025.

This article was updated on December 12th to reflect that the full moon rises this weekend.

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Cold Moon 2024: Watch the last full moon of the year rise with Jupiter this weekend

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