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Cold Moon Supermoon Caps 2025, Peaking at 6:14 p.m. ET on Dec. 4

Its near-perigee geometry boosted brightness up to about 30% versus the year’s faintest full moon.

Overview

  • Peak illumination occurred around 6:14–6:15 p.m. ET on December 4, though the moon appeared essentially full from December 3 to 5.
  • At roughly 221,965 miles (about 357,218 km) from Earth, the moon was about 10–14% closer than average, making it up to ~14% larger and ~30% brighter than the faintest full moon.
  • Livestreams such as the Virtual Telescope Project’s 20:00 UTC broadcast offered real-time views of the rise for those with clouds or daylight.
  • This was the third in a run of late-2025 supermoons, with the next full moon — also a supermoon — scheduled for January 3, 2026 (the Wolf Moon).
  • Experts flagged the likelihood of higher-than-usual ‘king’ tides in the day or so after the event and recommended moonrise viewing for the strongest visual effect due to the moon illusion.