Cold Moon Steals the Show 🌕✨
Last night (Dec. 5), skywatchers around the world were treated to the final supermoon of 2025, known as the Cold Moon. Named for its arrival at the start of the Northern Hemisphere's longest, chilliest nights, this perigee full moon looked extra big and bright as it rose.
Why It's a Supermoon
According to Wen Kou, a senior engineer at the Beijing Planetarium, a supermoon is a full moon that coincides with the moon's closest point to Earth—its perigee. The moon follows an elliptical orbit: at perigee it appears larger, at apogee it looks smaller. When full moon and perigee line up, voila, a supermoon!
A Close Call
This morning at 7:14 a.m. Beijing Time, the Cold Moon hit its peak. It was the third and final supermoon of the year—and the second-largest full moon of 2025, just a hair smaller than November's record-setter. To most eyes, though, both supermoons look almost identical.
Global Stargazing
With clear skies in many regions, amateur photographers and astronomy fans captured stunning shots. If you missed it, keep your camera ready for the next lunar moment 🌟.
Reference(s):
Final supermoon of 2025: Cold moon captivates skies worldwide
cgtn.com
