December skywatching guide: Wrap up 2025 with these can't miss celestial events
Yet another Supermoon, a fruitful meteor shower and the changing of seasons top the bill for December's can't miss astronomical events.
FILE: Spectacular coincidence gives appearance Geminid meteor exploded in Puerto Rico
A video shot early Wednesday morning captured the moment a meteor streaked across the sky and appeared to explode over Puerto Rico. (Courtesy: Frankie Lucena via Storyful)
With the new year around the corner, December is filled with a robust lineup of celestial events to end the year with a rewarding skywatching experience.
As the seasons change for the colder and the hectic holiday season rolls around, taking a second to glance at the sky and enjoy a celestial show can make all the difference. Here are some of December's top celestial events to look forward to round out 2025 this December.
Yet another Supermoon, a fruitful meteor shower and the changing of seasons top the bill for December's can't miss astronomical events.
COLD FULL SUPERMOON
To kick off December, for the third consecutive month, a Supermoon will rise into the sky in the first week of the month.
The December full Moon, nicknamed the Cold Moon due to the arrival of cold winter weather in the Northern Hemisphere, will soar into the sky on Dec. 4.
Similar to the gigantic Supermoons of October and November, December’s full Moon is also considered to be a Supermoon due to its proximity to Earth.
FILE: The cold moon rises at sunset behind Monte Prena Mountain in Gran Sasso National Park in Italy, on December 19, 2021. The cold moon is the last full moon of the year. (Photo by Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
According to NASA, the moon will be just 221,813 miles away from Earth when full on the first Thursday of the month.
WHAT ARE THE PHASES OF THE MOON?
GEMINID METEOR SHOWER
Count your lucky stars skywatchers, as 2025 is set to wrap up with a strong meteor shower that will keep your eyes glued to the sky.
The Geminids will start around the beginning of December and last through Dec. 21, and will peak on the night of Dec. 12 and the morning of Dec. 13.
The Geminids meteor shower is seen at the top of Niubei Mountain in Ya 'an, Sichuan Province, China, Dec 14, 2023. (Photo credit should read CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
With an expectation of 40 to 50 meteors per hour when observed under dark skies, the Geminids produce a spectacular display and have earned a reputation as one of the most reliable annual meteor showers. The bright and fast meteors tend to be yellow, and if you're lucky enough to catch a glimpse of them, it's proven to be a sight to behold.
Under perfect conditions, at peak viewing, 120 Geminid meteors can be observed per hour, according to NASA.
WINTER SOLSTICE
Ushering in the change of seasons, the Northern Hemisphere will officially enter astronomical winter on Dec. 21.
ALASKA CITY WON'T SEE THE SUN FOR THE NEXT 64 DAYS
On the shortest day of the year known as the winter solstice, vitamin D fans are invited to rejoice as, starting Dec. 22, days will have increasingly more sunlight that will continue to accumulate daily through June 21, 2026.
FILE: Winter weather satellite from January 2024
(NOAA)
Similarly, as to what happens around the summer solstice, the winter solstice is not usually when the season’s most extreme temperatures impact the Northern Hemisphere. There is what is known as a seasonal lag, and January and February usually produce the coldest weather of winter.
Astronomical winter versus meteorological winter.
(FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
Astronomical winter differs from meteorological winter, though the two are closely related. This season, the astronomical winter begins on Dec. 21 and ends on March 20, 2026.
While astronomical seasons are based on the position of Earth in relation to the Sun, meteorological seasons are based on the annual temperature cycle, according to the NOAA.