Here we see last night’s virtually full moon moving northeast. To our eyes, it will be identical to tonight’s actual full moon, which we’ll likely not see due to inclement weather. December’s full moon is known for its high trajectory, which makes it visible longer than other moons when the sky is clear, but also smaller. It is 251,726 miles away today.
The most common name for this month’s moon is the Cold Full Moon, reportedly based upon the Mohawk Native Americans’ name for their coldest period of the year. Apropos of that name, the weather tellers are predicting that we’ll be snowed upon this afternoon and evening. It might even be our first plowable snow. (Image taken in Brooklin, Maine, on December 17, 2021.)