Posted: Dec 26, 2023 / 04:31 PM EST
Updated: Dec 26, 2023 / 04:31 PM EST
(KSWB) — The last full moon of the year will illuminate the sky Tuesday night.
The full “cold moon” peaks Dec. 26 at 7:33 p.m. Eastern Time. Its name was coined by the Mohawk people, according to CNN, and is a reference to the cold winter temperatures that coincide with the last full moon of the year.
Because of the long winter nights and the path the “cold moon” travels on, you’ll have more opportunity to see it than any other full moon of the year. The December full moon is at its highest path in the sky and is above the horizon longer than any other moon this year. Because of that, it is also called the “long night moon.”
With the full moon comes high tides. A warning is in place along West Coast beaches as high tides are expected to reach heights of over 6 feet in places like San Diego, creating hazardous swimming conditions.
The first full moon of 2024, the full wolf moon, will rise on Jan. 25.
There are several celestial events to look forward to in 2024: the April 8 total solar eclipse; Venus and Mars conjunction on Feb. 22; a rare “devil” comet that will streak across the sky in April; meteor showers; an Aug. 19 supermoon; and to cap it all off increased aurora activity will peak in 2024, making it easier to see the aurora borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights, in some areas.
