The 'Cold Moon,' the final full moon of 2022, will soon rise in a winter sky crowded by Saturn, Jupiter and Mars.
December's full moon — also nicknamed the Cold Moon — officially begins at 11:09 p.m. ET , although the moon will also appear bright and full in the sky beginning on Tuesday, Dec. 6, and lasting until Thursday, Dec. 8.
The moon will join a crowded night sky where Saturn, Jupiter and Mars will also be visible to the naked eye. Observers in parts of North America and Europe may even see the moon pass in front of Mars, briefly snuffing the Red Planet's light, at least from Earth's perspective. This semi-regular phenomenon is known as occultation, according to Live Science's sister site Space.com.
As for the moon's nickname, sky watchers in the Northern Hemisphere will have little trouble guessing why this month's moon is dubbed the"cold" one. Rising mere weeks before the winter solstice , this moon takes to the sky during one of the coldest, darkest parts of the year.
The full moon occurs once every 30 days or so, when the sun, Earth and moon align on an invisible 180-degree line. The moon's orbit varies from Earth's by about 5 degrees, so the moon is usually a little higher or lower than Earth's shadow, allowing the sun's rays to illuminate the side facing Earth.
The next full moon is the Wolf Moon, trailing behind the New Year like a long hangover on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023.
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