By Alexander Merz · Updated on · Details checked on 14 September 2026
The next full moon in December falls on Thursday, December 24, 2026 at 02:28 CET.
Name: Cold Moon – after the long, cold nights of December
Still 92 days to go.
Here you will find the exact date of the full moon in December – with the time for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the traditional name of the month’s full moon and the dates for the years ahead.
And if you want to see the Moon closer than with the naked eye: our buying guide for beginners explains which telescope makes sense to start with, what budget to plan for and which classic mistakes to avoid.
In 2026 this full moon falls on Christmas Eve, and it is a supermoon: the Moon is exactly full on Thursday, 24 December 2026 at 02:28 CET. If a telescope is meant to end up under the tree, our astronomy gift ideas sort the options by budget.
The December 2026 full moon in numbers
| Date | Thursday, 24 December 2026 |
| Time | 02:28 CET |
| Traditional name | Cold Moon |
| Old German month name | Julmond or Christmond |
| Distance from Earth | 356,738 km |
| Apparent diameter | 33.5′ (arcminutes) |
| Moonrise | 14:46 on the evening before (23 December) |
| Moonset | 09:05 on the morning of 24 December |
| Special feature | Supermoon |
Supermoon. At 356,738 km this full moon comes closer than the commonly used threshold of 361,578 km. It appears a good seven percent larger than an average full moon – a difference you barely notice without a direct comparison. More on our page about the supermoon.
How the full moon sits in the sky in December
The December full moon reaches its highest position of the year and, on the longest night, stays above the horizon longer than at any other time. It is the counterpart to the low winter Sun.
On 24 December 2026 the exact full phase (02:28) falls in the night of 23 to 24 December: in Berlin the Moon rises on the 23rd at 14:46 and sets on the morning of the 24th at 09:05. To the naked eye it still looks full on Christmas Eve itself, when it rises at 16:06.
Cold Moon – where the name comes from
The Cold Moon stands for the longest and coldest nights of the year. Because it sits exactly opposite the Sun at the winter solstice, it is at the same time the highest-standing full moon of the year and remains in the sky for more than sixteen hours. The German Julmond points to the Germanic Yule festival, Christmond to Christmas.
Almost all of the full moon names in common use today come from North America and were popularised by American almanacs. German-speaking countries had their own names for the months: December was called Julmond or Christmond. Both traditions mean the same thing – an attempt to pin the course of the year to what is actually happening outdoors.
What else is happening in the sky in December
With the Geminids, December brings the most reliable meteor shower of the whole year, plus the longest nights and the winter solstice. For observers, the best time there is.
Full moon in December: the dates for the coming years
| Year | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Sunday, December 15 | 10:01 CET |
| 2025 | Friday, December 5 | 00:14 CET |
| 2026 | Thursday, December 24 | 02:28 CET |
| 2027 | Monday, December 13 | 17:08 CET |
| 2028 | Saturday, December 2 | 02:40 CET |
| 2028 | Sunday, December 31 | 17:48 CET |
| 2029 | Thursday, December 20 | 23:46 CET |
| 2030 | Monday, December 9 | 23:40 CET |
| 2031 | Sunday, December 28 | 18:32 CET |
The interval from one full moon to the next averages 29 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes. Because our calendar months are longer, the date shifts forward year by year – which is why the full moon in December never falls on the same date. All upcoming dates are listed in the full moon calendar, and our page on the Moon explains how the phases come about.
The dates that are actually worth it are often months apart – and easily forgotten. So you do not miss one:
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Observing the full moon – an honest note
As lovely as the full moon is to the naked eye, in a telescope this is precisely the phase in which it is least interesting. Because the Sun shines straight down onto the lunar surface, the shadows are missing and craters look flat. You see considerably more a few days before or after full moon along the day-night boundary, the so-called terminator.
If you still want to look at the full moon through a telescope, you should use a moon filter, a grey filter that dims the brightness – without one the glare is uncomfortable. For 1.25-inch eyepieces the Apertura 1.25" Moon FilterOmegon Premium Moon Filter 1.25″ is all you need (at $14.95€ 19.90) – spending more buys you nothing here. There is more on this in our buying guide to observing the Moon.
The longest nights of the year: binoculars for the Moon and the Geminids: Celestron Cometron 7x50 Binoculars
The astronomy classic among affordable binoculars: 7×50 with a large exit pupil for bright handheld views of the Moon and Milky Way – the ideal first step before a telescope.
Price: € 65
Frequently asked questions
When is the full moon in December 2026?
On Thursday, 24 December 2026 at 02:28 CET.
Is the December 2026 full moon a supermoon?
Yes. At 356,738 km it stays below the commonly used threshold of 361,578 km and therefore appears a good seven percent larger than an average full moon.
Can you see the full moon on Christmas Eve?
Yes. The exact phase falls in the night before, at 02:28. On Christmas Eve the Moon rises at 16:06 and still looks full to the naked eye.
What is the December full moon called?
Cold Moon, after the long, cold nights of December. The German Julmond points to the Germanic Yule festival, Christmond to Christmas.
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