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1:00 AM 14th December 2024
nature

The Cold Moon Is The Last Full Moon Of 2024

Image by Anja from Pixabay
Image by Anja from Pixabay
The temperature in December usually begins to drop and is often freezing, so we start to realise that winter is really here, but this year we have experienced snow and freezing weather in the month of November.

In 2024 the full moon rises on Sunday 15 December, but if the sky is clear we should be able to see it for a couple of days either side. The last full moon of the year gets the name of the Cold Moon.

Some Native American Tribes have also called the December full moon the Long Nights Moon and the Moon before Yule because it appears so near to the solstice.

The full moon in December in 2024 appears in the sky a few days before the shortest day and the longest night - the Winter Solstice which this year is on Saturday 21 December.

Image by Josep Monter Martinez from Pixabay
Image by Josep Monter Martinez from Pixabay
Tips for seeing a full moon

Moons rise in the east and set in the west
If viewing from inside your house it is best to turn off lights so as to view the night sky
If outside it is best to go somewhere high so you can see the moon rise above the horizon
Viewing outside is the best and away from street lights and light pollution


Why a full moon?

A full moon occurs when the moon's earth-facing side is completely illuminated by the sun. Scientists say that when you see the moon looking really large as it rises in the sky your brain is actually playing a trick on you.

There are many reasons as to why this is, but the main theory is that when the moon is low on the horizon it can be compared to earthly things, like buildings and trees, and this is why it seems huge.

Every month of the year there is a full moon which illuminates the sky, each of which is given a different name.

Full moons in 2024

Image by Enrique Meseguer from Pixabay
Image by Enrique Meseguer from Pixabay
Wolf Moon - 25 January
Snow Moon - 24 February
Pink Moon - 23 April
Flower Moon - 23 May
Strawberry Moon - 22 June
Buck Moon - 21 July
Sturgeon Moon - 19 August (Blue Moon and Supermoon)
Harvest Moon - 18 September (Supermoon)
Hunter's Moon - 17 October (Supermoon)
Beaver Moon - 15 November
Cold Moon - 15 December


Why different names for the full moons

Every month of the year there is a full moon which illuminates the sky, each of which is given a different name.

There are a total of 12 full moon phases during the annual lunar cycle plus the occasional Blue Moon and each full moon has a unique name, which are tied to the changing seasons, behaviour of the plants, animals, or weather during that month and reflects the landscape around us.

The names given to the full moons during the year are derived from the North American tribes who centuries ago kept track of the changing seasons by giving the full moons distinctive names depending on the time of year.

However the full moon names we now use also have Anglo-Saxon and Germanic roots.

Image by Anja from Pixabay
Image by Anja from Pixabay
Some interesting moon facts:

The moon's diameter is 2,160 miles
The sun and moon are not the same size
The moon's surface is dark
The moon has quakes
There is water on the moon
The moon has a very thin atmosphere
A person would weigh less on the moon
The dark side of the moon is a myth
We only see the near side of the moon, the other side is the far side
Earth's moon is the only place beyond earth where humans have set foot. 12 people have been on the moon.


Sleep and a full moon

Image by Enrique Meseguer from Pixabay
Image by Enrique Meseguer from Pixabay
Because the moon affects the tides, it is often said that full moons can also affect us. Issues with our immune system can be caused by lack of sleep or disturbed sleep. Some people find falling asleep harder during a full moon along with less time spent in a deep sleep. This lack of sleep can sometimes cause people to have worse headaches often called 'moon migraines'.

The next full moon, the first of 2025 will rise on Monday 13 January and is the Wolf Moon.