The winter solstice is fast approaching, and along with the longest night of the year, it also means that it’s time for the “Cold Moon” to take to the skies.
Unlike some other full moon names, including the Hunter’s Moon (October) or the Worm Moon (March), the December occasion has a name whose origin is pretty self-explanatory, given that the month marks the start of winter and a time of colder temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, this month’s full moon is also known as the Long Night Moon, which is another fairly obvious title, given that the longest night of the year will occur later this month, with nearly 15 hours of darkness occurring in conjunction with the winter solstice.
So when will Chicago residents get to see the Cold Moon?
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That full moon will take to the skies on Saturday night, with the moon reaching its brightest point at approximately 10:36 p.m. Central time. According to NASA, the moon will also appear higher on the horizon than at other times of the year, meaning that the full moon will remain in the sky for a longer period of time between Saturday night and Sunday morning.
The moon will technically rise just before 4 p.m. on Saturday, but won’t set until nearly 8 a.m. Sunday.
For those residents that are curious, the next full moon will occur on Jan. 17, and is named the Wolf Moon.
