Full Moon December 2022: The Full Cold Moon
Mark your calendars! The next December full moon is Wednesday December 7, 2022 11:08 PM EST or December 8, 2022 4:08 AM UTC based on the data provided by NASA. It will be the twelfth and last 2022 full moon on the schedule.
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 2022 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 December 2022 Full Moon?
The full moon in December 2022 will be on Wednesday December 7, 2022 11:08 PM EST or December 8, 2022 4:08 AM UTC. The December full moon will be the twelfth on the calendar for 2022. It will also be both the last full moon of 2022 and the last full moon of the Autumn 2022 season. The December full moon will occur before the Winter season begins.
What is the name of the December full moon?
The December 2022 full moon is commonly referred to as the Full Cold Moon, a fitting name for a moon occurring in a cold month. It’s a name that doesn’t come as a surprise and one you may have guessed. And while the December full moon doesn’t always fall officially in winter, the name makes sense given December also includes in the start of Winter.
It’s also been referred to as the Long Nights Moon, 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 2022, the December Full Moon will be the last full moon of the Autumn 2022 season. It will be the last full moon before the Winter Solstice in 2022.
The Winter Solstice marks the beginning of astronomical winter and the end of astronomical autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.
In 2022, the Winter Solstice will be Wednesday December 21, 2022 4:48 PM EST or 9:48 PM 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 2022, the Full Cold Moon is part of the Autumn season.
When is the new moon for the 2022 Full Cold Moon?
The lunar cycle for the December Full Moon will begin with its new moon in November 2022. The New Cold Moon will be on Wednesday November 23, 2022 5:57 PM EST or 10:57 PM UTC, and will be in the new moon in Sagittarius.
While the new moon and full moon for the cold moon will be in different months, but in the same season. In other years, the new and full moon can be in different seasons.
Future December Full Moons
Wondering about December in the future and when the full moons will occur? Here’s a list for the next few years.
| Year | Day of the week | Future December Full Moons |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Wednesday | December 7, 2022 11:08 PM EST |
| 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 |
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 | Future December Full Moons |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Christmas Full Moons
For those who celebrate Christmas, it can also be interesting to know when the holiday will also coincide with a full moon. In years where the dates are close, depending on your time zone, the full moon may overlap directly with Christmas, fall on Christmas Eve, or happen directly after the holiday.
Most recently, there was a Christmas Full Moon in 2015 for both the Eastern Time Zone and UTC. And the next Christmas Full Moon will be in 2034 for those two time zones as well.
December 25, 2015
The December 2015 Full Moon was the last Christmas Full Moon on Friday, December 25, 2015 6:11 AM EST or 11:11 AM UTC. This was the first full moon of the Winter 2015-2016 season. It occurred a few days after the Winter 2016 Solstice.
December 25, 2034
The December 2034 Full Moon will be the next Christmas Full Moon on Monday December 25, 2034 3:54 AM EST or 8:54 AM UTC. This will be the first full moon of the Winter 2034-2035 season. It will occur a few days after the Winter 2024 Solstice.
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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