2024's Final Full Moon, the Cold Moon, to Light Up Skies on December 15

The Cold Moon, marking the year's last full moon, will rise alongside Jupiter and bright stars, coinciding with the Geminid meteor shower.

The Cold Moon, also known as the Long Nights Moon or Moon Before Yule, will reach its peak on Sunday, December 15, 2024, at 4:01 a.m. EST.
This full moon will be the least illuminated of the year, with 99.82% of its surface lit, due to the moon’s tilted orbit relative to Earth.
Observers can see the moon rise in the Taurus constellation, accompanied by Jupiter and bright stars like Capella, Pollux, and Betelgeuse.
The event coincides with the peak of the Geminid meteor shower, though the moon's brightness may reduce visibility of meteors.
This Cold Moon marks the end of both the astronomical fall season and the lunar cycle for 2024, with the next full moon, the Wolf Moon, set for January 13, 2025.