Full Moon December 2026: the Cold Supermoon on 24 December
The Cold Moon is on .
46 days, 18 hours and 47 minutes until the exact phase.
Distance and flags
- Distance from Earth
- 356,729 km · a supermoon
- Size against the average distance
- larger by 7.8% across the sky
- Next year
Moonrise in London on Thu 24 Dec
- Moonrise
- 16:07
- Rises towards
- north-east · 45°
- Moonset
- 08:56
The disc looks full on the nights either side of the exact time, and a full Moon rises near sunset. Moonrise and moonset for other places and dates.
What the Cold Moon means
Cold Moon is December's familiar almanac name. Long Night Moon and Moon Before Yule are alternatives that emphasise the same position near the winter solstice.
This is usually one of the year's highest full-Moon paths over the UK and can remain above the horizon for a long winter night.
Watching it from the UK. Use the high lunar path to observe from a site with less concern about low buildings or trees, but allow for glare from the bright disc. A low Moon can look larger or warmer because of perspective and the atmosphere, not because its phase changed.
Moon names come from almanac traditions and differ between sources; the seasons are northern-hemisphere ones. NASA's Moon phase guide.
Full Moon December dates, 2026–2028
| Year | Date and time · Europe/London | Name | Distance | Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Cold Moon | 356,729 km · supermoon | All phases | |
| 2027 | Cold Moon | 368,131 km | All phases | |
| 2028 | Cold Moon | 389,137 km | All phases | |
| 2028 | Cold Moon · Blue Moon | 377,592 km | All phases |
Other names for the December full Moon
- Popular almanac
- Cold Moon
- Old English
- Before Yule
- Celtic revival
- Cold Moon