When can I see the December 2022 full moon and why is it called a 'Cold Moon'?

6 December 2022, 14:46

Don't miss the last full moon of 2022. Picture: Getty

By Alice Dear

The 'Cold Moon' will be the final full moon of 2022 and is said to peak on Thursday in the early morning.

UK skies are expected to light up this week with the final full moon of the year.

The December full moon, also called Cold Moon, will peak on Thursday morning at around 4:00am, and – if skies are clear – it's expected to be a beauty.

This Cold Moon comes a month after November's full moon, the Frost Moon, and two months after October's full moon, the Blood Moon.

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From how you can see the Cold Moon this week to the meaning of the name, here's everything you need to know.

The final full moon of the year, the December full moon, is also called the Cold Moon. Picture: Getty

When can I see the Cold Moon 2022?

The Cold Moon, also known as the December full moon, will shine bright in the sky this week.

According to experts, the peak of the full moon will take place on Thursday, 8th December, at around 4:08am.

If you're willing to get up that early, and the skies are clear, then it should be dark enough to see the giant orb in the sky.

On the other hand, you could always cast your eyes up to the skies on Wednesday evening, when the Cold Moon is also meant to be at its largest.

The Cold Moon in named after the time of year it takes place. Picture: Getty

Why is the December full moon called a Cold Moon?

Like most of the full moons that take place across the year, the names – such as Cold Moon – come from Native American Tribes and often reflect the time of year.

According to American Farmer’s Almanac, the name Cold Moon comes, pretty obviously, from the temperature in December.

The publication says the name comes from “a Mohawk name that conveys the frigid conditions of this time of year, when cold weather truly begins to grip us”.