Full Moon December 2023: The Full Cold Moon
Mark your calendars for the next December 2023 Full Moon. The next December full moon is Tuesday December 26, 2023 at 7:33 PM EST or December 27, 2023 at 12:33 AM UTC based on the data provided by NASA. It will be the twelfth full moon on the calendar for 2023.
A full moon occurs when the Earth is directly between the Sun and Moon so that the moon looks completely illuminated when you look at it. It happens about once a month or, 29.53 days on average.
Ready to dive a little deeper into the December 2023 Full Moon? Learn more about the moon’s nicknames and other facts.
The dates and times provided by NASA in United States Eastern Time (ET) account for both Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) for part of the year in the United States. Also below is the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) time. This was previously referred to as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Since your local time zone may be different, the exact dates may shift slightly for your calendar.
When is the full moon in December 2023?
The full moon in December will be on Tuesday December 26, 2023 at 7:33 PM EST or December 27, 2023 at 12:33 AM UTC. The December 26th full moon will be the thirteenth and last full moon of 2023 and the full moon in Cancer.
What is the name of the December 2023 Full Moon?
One name for the December 2023 Full Moon is the Full Cold Moon. It’s a name that doesn’t come as a surprise and one you may have guessed. The Full Cold Moon is a fitting name for a moon given how the temperatures get colder with the official start of Winter.
Another nickname for the December Full Moon is the Long Nights Moon, another equally fitting given December has the shortest day of the year.
A final nickname for the full moon is the Oak Moon.
Which season includes the December Full Moon?
In 2023, the December Full Moon will be the first full moon of the WInter 2023-2024 season. It will be the first full moon after the Winter Solstice in 2023.
The Winter Solstice marks the beginning of astronomical winter and the end of astronomical autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.
In 2023, the Winter Solstice will be Thursday December 21, 2023 at 10:28 PM EST or December 22, 2023 at 3:28 AM UTC.
Depending on the year, the Full Cold Moon can occur either at the end of Autumn or just after the start of Winter, depending on the timing of the Winter Solstice. In 2023, the Full Cold Moon is part of the Winter season.
When is the new moon for the 2023 Full Cold Moon?
The lunar cycle for the December Full Moon will begin with its new moon in December 2023. The New Cold Moon will be on Tuesday December 12, 2023 at 6:32 PM EST or 11:32 PM UTC, and will be in the new moon in Sagittarius.
Also interesting to note, in 2023, this will be one of the few new moon-full moon cycles that will be in the same month.
Will there be a full supermoon in December 2023?
No, the full moon in December 2023 will not be a full supermoon as it will be more than 360,000 kilometers away during the peak of the full moon. The year will have 2 supermoons in August and 2 additional full supermoons depending on the definition you use.
A full supermoon is a full moon that nearly coincides with the closest that the Moon comes to the Earth in its orbit, called perigee. The moon has a larger-than-usual appearance when you look at it. There isn’t an official definition for how close the moon needs to be to the earth to be considered a supermoon. For the purposes of this site, we’ll follow the Timeanddate.com definition using moons less than 360,000 kilometers from the Earth.
Will there be a lunar eclipse during the December Full Moon?
No there will not be a lunar eclipse during the full moon in December 2023. In the future, there will be an eclipse during the first full moon of the year.
In 2023 there will be two lunar eclipses during the year. The May Full Moon will have a penumbral lunar eclipse and there will be a partial lunar eclipse during the October Full Moon.
December 2023 Moon Phases in Eastern Time and UTC
Below are the lunar phases for December 2023 including the new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter that are on the schedule for each month. The date and times are based on both the United States Eastern Time Zone and UTC, adjusted for daylight saving time.
| Lunar Phase | US Eastern Date & Time | UTC Date & Time |
|---|---|---|
| December Last Quarter | December 5, 2023 12:49 AM EST | December 5, 2023 5:49 AM UTC |
| December New Moon | December 12, 2023 6:32 PM EST | December 12, 2023 11:32 PM UTC |
| December First Quarter | December 19, 2023 1:39 PM EST | December 19, 2023 6:39 PM UTC |
| December Full Moon | December 26, 2023 7:33 PM EST | December 27, 2023 12:33 AM UTC |
Future December Full Moons
Wondering when in the future the full moons will occur in December beyond December 2023 full moon? Here’s a list through 2029.
| Year | Day of the week | Future December Full Moons |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Tuesday | December 26, 2023 7:33 PM EST |
| 2024 | Sunday | December 15, 2024 4:02 AM EST |
| 2025 | Thursday | December 4, 2025 6:14 PM EST |
| 2026 | Wednesday | December 23, 2026 8:28 PM EST |
| 2027 | Monday | December 13, 2027 11:09 AM EST |
| 2028 | Friday | December 1, 2028 8:40 PM EST |
| 2028 | Sunday | December 31, 2028 11:48 AM EST (blue moon) |
| 2029 | Thursday | December 20, 2029 5:46 PM EST |
Past December Full Moons
And what about the past? Here is when the full moon occurred in the past for December.
In 2015, the December full moon occurred on Christmas!
| Year | Day of the week | Past December Full Moons |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Wednesday | December 7, 2022 11:08 PM EST |
| 2021 | Saturday | December 18, 2021 11:36 PM EST |
| 2020 | Tuesday | December 29, 2020 10:28 PM EST |
| 2019 | Thursday | December 12, 2019 12:12 AM EST |
| 2018 | Saturday | December 22, 2018 12:49 PM EST |
| 2017 | Sunday | December 3, 2017 10:47 AM EST |
| 2016 | Tuesday | December 13, 2016 7:05 PM EST |
| 2015 | Friday | December 25, 2015 6:11 AM EST |
Frequently Asked Questions
Have additional questions about the December Full Moons? Here are a few of the frequently asked questions to help you.
In 2023, there will be one full moon in December. The December Full Moon will be on Tuesday December 26, 2023 at 7:33 PM EST or December 27, 2023 at 12:33 AM UTC. There are other years with 2 full moons, with the second called a blue moon, but not for 2023.
Future Full Moon Calendars
And if you’re looking for when the full moon occurs for the rest of the year, check out these future full moon calendars.
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