The December 2026 Full Moon is on Wednesday, December 23. It will be the last full moon of 2026.
A full moon occurs when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon, so the moon looks completely illuminated. It happens about once a month or 29.53 days on average, also called a synodic month.
Ready to dive a little deeper into the December Full Moon of 2026? Learn more about the moon’s nicknames and other facts about it.
Get ready for 2026’s December full moon
The December Full Moon is on Wednesday, December 23rd. It will be the last full moon of the year.
The December 23 Full Moon is the first full moon of Winter as the first to occur after the Winter Solstice. Depending on the year, the full moon in December can either be the last full moon of Autumn or occur just after the start of Winter.
When is the full moon in December for 2026?
The peak of the December full moon is 8:28 PM EST on December 23rd. The moon will look fairly full the day before and after. The December 23 Full Moon will be the full moon in Cancer.
Related: Learn more about the December Full Moon in 2027.
Names for the December Full Moon
The December full moon is commonly called the Full Cold Moon, which is unsurprising as the temperatures get colder with the official start of Winter.
Other nicknames for the December Full Moon are the Long Nights Moon and the Oak Moon.
Will there be a lunar eclipse in December during the full moon?
No, there will not be a lunar eclipse during the December full moon in 2026. The March full moon and August full moon will each have a Total Lunar Eclipse, also called a Blood Moon.
Will there a full supermoon in December?
Yes, the December full moon will the last and closest of the three supermoons in 2026. The other super full moons will be during the January Full Moon and November Full Moon.
A full supermoon is a full moon that nearly coincides with the closest point at which the Moon comes to Earth in its orbit, called perigee. The moon will have a larger-than-usual appearance. There isn’t an official definition of the exact distance the moon needs to be to be called a supermoon. It’s approximately 360,000 kilometers or closer, depending on the definition.
Moon Phases in December 2026
Below are the four core moon phases that will occur in December, including the new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter. The lunar cycle for the full moon will start and end in December.
| Phase | Date & Time | Season |
|---|---|---|
| December Last Quarter | Tue, December 1, 1:09 a.m. EST | Autumn |
| December New Moon 2026 | Tue, December 8, 7:52 p.m. EST | Autumn |
| December First Quarter | Thu, December 17, 12:43 a.m. EST | Autumn |
| December Full Moon 2026 | Wed, December 23, 8:28 p.m. EST | Winter |
| December Last Quarter | Wed, December 30, 1:59 p.m. EST | Winter |
Full Moons this Year in 2026
The December full moon is one of the thirteen full moons this year. The others are
- Full Moon in January 2026 was on the Jan 3rd
- Full Moon in February 2026 was on Feb 1st
- Full Moon in March 2026 was on March 3rd
- Full Moon in April 2026 is in on April 1st
- Full Moon in May 2026 is in on May 1st
- Blue Moon in May 2026 is at the end of May
- Full Moon in June 2026 is on June 29th
- Full Moon in July 2026 is on July 29th
- Full Moon in August 2026 is on August 28th
- Full Moon in September 2026 is on September 26th
- Full Moon in October 2026 is on October 26th
- Full Moon in November 2026 is on November 24th
Sources
The dates and times provided by NASA are set to United States (USA) Eastern Time for states including New York and Florida, adjusted for Daylight Saving Time for part of the year. Since you may be in a different time zone, the exact dates may shift for your calendar.