The Full Cold Moon: December's Moon Guide

Here are highlights of the December 2012 Moon! The Almanac's monthly Moon guide keeps you informed about full Moon names, Moon phase dates, and Best Days by the Moon.

Full Moon Names

December's Full Moon is called the Full Cold Moon. It is the month when the winter cold fastens its grip and the nights become long and dark.

This full Moon is also called the Long Nights Moon by some Native American tribes.

See all Full Moon names and their meanings.

Moon Phase Dates 2012

All dates and times are ET. See the Moon Phase Calendar for your city/state.

	Last Quarter: December 6, 10:31 A.M.
	New Moon: December 13, 3:42 A.M.
	First Quarter: December 20, 12:19 A.M.
	Full Moon: December 28, 5:21 A.M.

For your next full Moon, see our Full Moon Dates chart.

Best Days in December 2012

Below are the best days for activities, based on the Moon's sign and phase in December.

For Harvesting:

• Aboveground crops: 23, 24
• Belowground crops: 5, 6

For Setting Eggs:

• 7, 25, 26

For Fishing:

• 13-28

See Best Days for more activities.

December 2012 Moon Highlights

• The Moon is abscent on the 13th and won't interfere with the intense Geminid meteor shower beginning at 8:00 P.M. that night.
• The Moon and Jupiter form a strikingly close holiday conjunction on the 25th, with the orange star Aldebaran dangling below them.
• If a snowstorm begins when the moon is young, it will cease at moonrise.

Share your thoughts about this month's Moon below!