Cold Moon 2023: Early risers in India witness the Long Night Moon

The early risers of India witnessed the longest and the last full moon called Cold Moon in the early morning today. The cold Moon will be there till the evening of December 27

For all the skywatchers in India, today early risers got to witness the spectacular final full moon of the year 2023, popularly known as Cold Moon.

The term Cold Moon is derived from Native American and European traditions describing the frigid conditions of December when winter's grip tightens.

The Cold Moon is considered to be the longest and the last full moon of the year, which illuminated the sky on December 26, 2023.

What is the Cold Moon?

The Cold Moon is a celestial event when the moon will be 99.5 per cent visible, where the term is derived from Americana and European events.

 

The Cold Moon also called 'Long Night Moon' refers to the length of nights in the December month with around 15 hours of darkness per night during most of the month.

When to watch Cold Moon?

The spectacular event took place on December 27, at 6.03 am, which offered a mesmerising view for early risers. However, the cold moon started on the evening of December 26, 2023.

The best view of the Cold Moon was experienced in places where the pollution was light with a clear eastern horizon. The moon appears full and can be seen with the naked eye from the night of December 26 and this will continue till the evening of December 27.

As already mentioned, the best time to watch the Cold Moon is in the early morning hours, and the moon will have a splendid sight through the night.

Cold Moon of 2023

The final cold moon of 2023 is special as it rises higher in the sky as compared to other full moons and offers ample opportunities for observation.

It is also the longest night moon coinciding with the winter solstice, allowing for extended viewing times during long cold nights. 

Observers can choose to look for the moon amidst the backdrop of the season's brightest constellations. The brilliance of the moon may outshine prominent stars such as Betelgeuse in Orion and Capella in Auriga should still be visible.

As 2023 is about to end, the natural phenomenon of the Cold Moon has been integral to tracking the change of months and seasons since ancient times.