Full Moon in December 2026: The Cold Moon
The full moon is on , 50 days from now.
- Cold Moon
- Moon in Cancer
- 221,661 miles (356,729 km)
- Supermoon
All times are UTC; your local time appears next to each.
When exactly is the full moon?
The Moon reaches the exact full phase on . To the eye it looks full on the evening before and the evening after as well; it rises around sunset and sets around sunrise on those nights.
What makes this full moon special
It is a supermoon: the Moon is within 90% of its closest approach to Earth in this orbit, so it looks a little larger and brighter than an average full moon. See all supermoons. It is the closest full moon of 2026.
The Moon in Cancer
At the moment of the full moon, the Moon stands in Cancer, a water sign, which makes the day of the full moon a leaf day in lunar gardening tradition. The sign changes every two to three days; the daily page shows the exact time of any change.
Garden and hair around the full moon
-
Garden
Tradition reads the day of the full moon as a day for harvesting herbs and leafy crops, which are said to hold the most flavor now, and not for sowing or transplanting. The waning days that follow are for root crops and pruning. Planting calendar →
-
Hair
On the day of the full moon, tradition skips cutting and coloring; a cut in the waning days after it is said to hold its shape longer. Hair calendar →
-
Sky
The best view is shortly after moonrise, when the Moon stands low over the horizon and looks large and warm-colored. It rises close to sunset on the night of the full moon.
New moon in December 2026
The new moon is on , in Sagittarius—new moon in December 2026.
Before and after
-
Full moon November 2026
Beaver Moon on Nov 24, 2:54 PM UTC
-
Full moon January 2027
Wolf Moon on Jan 22, 12:17 PM UTC
-
Lunar calendar December 2026
Every day of the month: phase, moon sign, garden, and hair
-
Lunar calendar 2026
All full moons of 2026 with names and times
Frequently asked questions
What day is the full moon in December 2026?
The full moon in December 2026 is on Thursday, December 24, 2026, at 1:28 AM UTC, with the Moon in Cancer. It is the Cold Moon.
Is December 25 a full moon?
The exact full moon is on December 24, 2026, at 1:28 AM UTC. To the eye the Moon looks full for about three nights, so on the evening of December 25, 2026, it will still look full, and the evening of December 23, 2026, is one of those nights too.
What is the December 2026 full moon called?
The December 2026 full moon is the Cold Moon. The long, cold nights of December gave the full moon its plain name; the Mohawk called it the Cold Moon, English folklore knew it as the Moon Before Yule, and the Mohican name was the Long Night Moon.
Is the December 2026 full moon a supermoon?
Yes. At the full moon on December 24, 2026, the Moon is 221,661 miles (356,729 km) from Earth, within 90% of its closest approach in that orbit, which is the common definition of a supermoon. A supermoon looks slightly larger and brighter than an average full moon.