The final full moon of 2022 will come on the night time of December 7-8. For us within the Northern Hemisphere, it’ll cross excessive overhead. In the meantime, from the Southern Hemisphere, it’ll trip low within the sky. Why? As a result of a full moon is all the time reverse the solar. And – for us within the north now – the solar rides low (so the moon rides excessive). For the Southern Hemisphere, the solar rides excessive (so the moon rides low).
The December full moon will fall at 04:08 UTC on December 8, 2022 (10:08 p.m. CST on December 7). That’s the second when this month’s moon is most instantly reverse the solar as seen from Earth. It’ll be an eventful night time for this full moon. Mars will reach opposition on this night time. In different phrases, Mars can also be reverse the solar on the night time of December 7-8. Since each the moon and Mars are reverse the solar, it’s no shock that these two worlds seem close to one another. From some components of Earth, the moon will occult Mars – go in entrance of it – on the night time of December 7-8.
Read: Mars in 2022, at opposition December 7-8
Read: Moon will occult (cover) Mars on December 7-8
December full moon mimics the June solar
Each full moon is kind of reverse the solar. And a full moon’s path by means of the night time is reverse the solar’s path. So this December full moon’s path roughly follows the solar’s daytime path from six months in the past, or six months from now. Irrespective of the place you’re on Earth, discover the moon’s path on December 7-8. The Northern Hemisphere will see the December full moon rise to just about the highest of the sky, simply because the solar does close to the June solstice. The Southern Hemisphere will see a low moon, mimicking a low winter solar.
Right here’s one other method to take a look at it. Within the Northern Hemisphere, the December solstice has the least quantity of daylight of the yr. Since there’s nonetheless about 24 hours in a day regardless of how a lot daylight there may be, the shortest day means it should even be the longest night time. To ensure that the moon to remain up all night time and stay roughly reverse the solar, it must take an extended path throughout the sky. The upper an object crosses the sky, the longer its path and the longer it stays above the horizon.
Names for the December full moon
Do you see why tonight’s moon is usually known as the Lengthy Evening Moon?
However – like all full moons – the total moon of December has many nicknames: Lengthy Evening Moon, Full Chilly Moon, Moon Earlier than Xmas. However regardless of which title appeals to you, be sure you discover the moon’s excessive (or low) path!
Tracing the excessive path of the December full moon
Do this. Hint a line together with your finger from east to west to emulate the solar’s path in December. When you’re within the Northern Hemisphere, you’ll be tracing a low arc above the southern horizon. Then, together with your finger, hint one other path excessive overhead. Now you’re emulating the moon’s December path, and also you’ll see it’s a longer path than the decrease one.
Little by little, we are able to watch the 2 paths come again into steadiness. Every month, the total moon will cross the sky at a barely decrease arc than the earlier month. Every successive full moon will take much less time than the earlier one to cross the sky.
What about an equinox moon?
At March’s full moon, which is close to the Northern Hemisphere’s spring equinox, the 2 paths – of the moon and of the solar – shall be practically the identical. Then, close to the June solstice, these of us within the Northern Hemisphere will see the solar cross excessive overhead throughout the yr’s longest days. And, throughout the brief northern summer time nights, we’ll see the moon cross decrease and spend much less time within the sky.
And on the cycle goes.
Final full moon of 2022
This full moon is the final full moon of the Northern Hemisphere’s autumn – and Southern Hemisphere’s springtime – and it’s additionally the final full moon of 2022.
Plus it’s the closest full moon this yr to the December solstice, occurring simply 13 days earlier than the solstice. This solstice marks the beginning of winter within the Northern Hemisphere (and summer time within the Southern Hemisphere). It falls on December 21. The January 2023 full moon is 16 days after this December solstice.
You’ll discover this December 2022 full moon in Taurus the Bull, as proven on the chart beneath.
Take pleasure in December’s full moon! And don’t neglect … the purple object close to it’s Mars!
Backside line: The 2022 December full moon occurs in a single day on December 7-8, 2022. It carefully follows the trail of the June solar. It’ll be close to vivid purple Mars. And from some locations it’ll occult or go in entrance of Mars.
