Berlin: The final supermoon of 2025, known as a Cold Moon, is set to rise on December 4, coinciding with the commencement of the Geminid meteor showers. This celestial event promises to offer night sky enthusiasts plenty to observe as the year draws to a close.
According to Deutsche Welle, supermoons occur when a full moon coincides with the moon’s closest approach to Earth, a point referred to as the moon’s perigee. During this time, the moon appears up to 10% larger and significantly brighter than usual. On December 4, 2025, the moon will be approximately 17,000 miles (27,300 kilometers) closer to Earth, marking its last supermoon appearance of the year.
The Cold Moon signals the onset of colder, darker months, and if skies are clear, it will appear larger as it rises over the horizon due to a phenomenon known as the moon illusion. While this illusion lacks a comprehensive scientific explanation, it causes humans to perceive objects on the horizon as larger than they usually appear. As the moon rises, a
yellow tinge may be visible due to the scattering of shorter blue wavelengths of light, leaving red wavelengths to reach our eyes.
Each full moon is traditionally given a name that reflects the time of year it occurs, and these names, primarily based on North American traditions, have gained global recognition. The twelve full moon names are: January’s Wolf Moon, February’s Snow Moon, March’s Worm Moon, April’s Pink Moon, May’s Flower Moon, June’s Strawberry Moon, July’s Buck Moon, August’s Sturgeon Moon, September’s Corn Moon, October’s Hunter Moon, November’s Beaver Moon, and December’s Cold Moon.
Looking forward to 2026, skywatchers can anticipate three supermoons, with the first one, the Wolf Moon, appearing on January 3. This will be followed by the Super Beaver Moon on November 24 and another Super Cold Moon on December 24.
Additionally, the Geminid meteor showers, which start on December 4 and last until December 20, 2025, will peak on December 14, offering up to 120 meteors per hour. The Ursids, r
adiating near the constellation of Ursa Minor, will shower between December 17-26, with fewer visible meteors per hour.
The upcoming year also promises a variety of meteor showers, as well as two solar eclipses. An annular solar eclipse on February 17 will be visible primarily in Antarctica, while a total solar eclipse on August 12 will be visible in Spain, Iceland, Greenland, and northern Russia. A partial eclipse will be observable in parts of North America, Africa, and Europe.