December Stargazing Guide

The new year is almost here, but there's still plenty going on in the sky in this last month of 2025. Here's what stargazers are excited about in December.

For the third month in a row, we will see a supermoon rise over the horizon. The December full moon will occur on Dec., 4, and is known as the Cold Moon due to the chilly temperatures that typically accompany it.

A supermoon is a full moon that happens when the Moon is especially close to Earth in its orbit. Because of this, it looks bigger and brighter than usual. When this happens, the Moon can look up to 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than when it’s farthest away.

The Geminid Meteor shower is already underway and will last through Dec., 21, with the peak on the night of Dec., 12 and into the morning of Dec., 13. Geminid meteors tend to be fast-moving and bright, and this year, 40 to 50 meteors per hour are expected.

Astronomical winter starts on Dec., 21, the Winter Solstice. The winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year, occurring when Earth's Northern Hemisphere is tilted farthest from the sun.