December 2023 New Moon, the New Cold Moon
Mark your calendars for the next December 2023 New Moon. The next December new moon is Tuesday December 12, 2023 6:32 PM EST or 11:32 PM UTC based on the data provided by NASA. It will be the twelfth and last new moon on the calendar for 2023.
A new moon is the first lunar phase that happens about once a month or 29.53 days on average. The moon itself is not visible, though you may be able to “see” it because it blocks the visibility of the stars behind it.
Ready to dive a little deeper into the December 2023 New Moon? Learn more about the moon’s nicknames and other facts.
The dates and times provided by NASA in United States Eastern Time are 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. Since you may be in a different time zone, the exact dates may shift for your calendar.
What is the name of the December 2023 New Moon?
One name for the December 2023 New Moon is the New Cold Moon. It’s a name that doesn’t come as a surprise and one you may have guessed. The New 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 New Moon is the New Long Nights Moon, another equally fitting given December has the shortest day of the year. And a final nickname for the new moon is the Oak Moon.
Depending on the year, the December new moon’s name switches based on which lunar cycle it starts. The December 12th new moon was the start of the December Full Moon in 2023. In other years, the new moon in December may be the start of the January Full Moon Lunar Cycle of the next year.
Which season includes the December New Moon?
In 2023, the December New Moon will be the last new moon of the Autumn 2023 season. It will be the last new moon before the Winter Solstice.
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 10:28 PM EST or December 22, 2023 3:28 AM UTC.
Depending on the year, the December New 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 New Cold Moon is part of the Autumn season.
When is the full moon for the 2023 New Cold Moon?
The full moon for the New Cold Moon will be in December 2023. The Full Cold Moon will be on Tuesday December 26, 2023 7:33 PM EST or December 27, 2023 12:33 AM UTC, and will be the full moon in Cancer
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. But in this month, the new moon and full moon will be in different seasons.
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 New Moons
Wondering when in the future the new moons will occur in December beyond December 2023 new moon? Here’s a list through 2029.
| Year | Day of the week | Future December New Moons |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Tuesday | December 12, 2023 6:32 PM EST |
| 2024 | Sunday | December 1, 2024 1:21 AM EST |
| 2024 | Monday | December 30, 2024 5:27 PM EST |
| 2025 | Friday | December 19, 2025 8:43 PM EST |
| 2026 | Tuesday | December 8, 2026 7:52 PM EST |
| 2027 | Monday | December 27, 2027 3:12 PM EST |
| 2028 | Friday | December 15, 2028 9:06 PM EST |
| 2029 | Wednesday | December 5, 2029 9:52 AM EST |
Past December New Moons
And what about the past? Here is when the new moon occurred in the past for December.
| Year | Day of the week | Past December New Moons |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Friday | December 23, 2022 5:17 AM EST |
| 2021 | Saturday | December 4, 2021 2:43 AM EST |
| 2020 | Monday | December 14, 2020 11:17 AM EST |
| 2019 | Thursday | December 26, 2019 12:13 AM EST |
| 2018 | Friday | December 7, 2018 2:20 AM EST |
| 2017 | Monday | December 18, 2017 1:31 AM EST |
| 2016 | Thursday | December 29, 2016 1:53 AM EST |
| 2015 | Friday | December 11, 2015 5:29 AM EST |
Frequently Asked Questions
Have additional questions about the December New Moons? Here are a few of the frequently asked questions to help you.
The December 2022 New Moon will be on Friday December 23, 2022. This will be the first new moon of the Winter 2022-2023 season as the December 2022 new moon will occur after the Winter Solstice.
The December 2021 New Moon was on Saturday December 4, 2021. This was the last new moon of the Fall 2021 season as the December new moon occurred before the Winter Solstice.
The December 2020 New Moon was on Monday December 14, 2020. It was the last new moon of the Autumn 2020 season because the December 2020 new moon occurred before the Winter Solstice in 2020.
