The last supermoon of 2025, known as the Cold Moon, will appear tonight, casting extremely bright light. This marks the final in a trio of supermoons visible this year.
The best time to view the Cold Moon in Australia is shortly after sunset. A supermoon occurs when a full moon is closer to Earth than usual, due to the Moon's oval-shaped orbit. The point of closest approach is called perigee.
The name 'Cold Moon' originates from the northern hemisphere, where it signals the beginning of winter and coincides with the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. It is also known as the Long Night Moon and the Moon before Yule.
Each full moon has a traditional name, a practice dating back to ancient times before the Gregorian calendar. The next supermoon will be the Wolf Moon on January 3, 2026, with two more supermoons expected later that year.
