Final Supermoon of 2025 Illuminates Night Skies Across the Globe

The last supermoon of 2025 made a dazzling appearance this week, lighting up the early winter sky and marking the final chapter in this year’s trio of unusually large and bright full moons. Known as the Cold Moon, the event coincides with the onset of the Northern Hemisphere’s longest and coldest nights — a fitting backdrop for its luminous glow.

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Why the Cold Moon Matters

This December phenomenon was the third and final supermoon of 2025, offering skywatchers one more chance to witness the Moon at its largest apparent size. Supermoons have become a popular astronomical attraction in recent years, as their enhanced brightness and scale create striking views even for casual observers.

The moon reached fullness at 7:14 a.m. Beijing Time, roughly 12 hours after it passed its closest point to Earth — the moment that makes a supermoon so visually dramatic.

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What Makes a Supermoon “Super”?

According to Wen Kou, senior engineer at the Beijing Planetarium, the term “supermoon” is more accurately described in astronomy as a perigee full moon.

• The Moon travels around Earth in an elliptical orbit.

• Perigee is the point where the Moon is closest to Earth.

• Apogee is the farthest point.

When a full moon coincides with perigee, it appears noticeably larger and brighter. When fullness occurs at apogee, the Moon looks smaller and dimmer. This month’s Cold Moon was particularly striking because of its close timing with perigee.

Although the largest full moon of the year occurred on November 5, astronomers note that the size difference between that event and the December Cold Moon is so minimal that only trained observers would perceive any variation. To most viewers, the two moons would appear nearly identical.

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Stunning Views From Around the World

Skywatchers across continents captured dramatic images of the final supermoon rising over city skylines, mountain ridges, and snow-covered landscapes.
Among the most striking scenes was the moon lifting above the Sarikamis district in Kars, Türkiye, where photographers recorded a series of vivid shots as the luminous orb crested the horizon.

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A Busy Sky Ahead: December’s Astronomical Highlights

The Cold Moon is only the beginning of a celestial-packed month. Astronomers highlight two major events still to come:

Moon–Jupiter Conjunction – December 7

The Moon will appear to glide close to Jupiter, creating a brilliant pairing visible to the naked eye shortly after sunset.

Geminid Meteor Shower Peak – December 14

One of the year’s most reliable meteor showers, the Geminids will reach maximum activity mid-month, offering potentially dozens of meteors per hour under dark, clear skies.

With the final supermoon now behind us, December promises a spectacular finish to the 2025 skywatching calendar.