South Africans will soon get their last chance to see a supermoon in 2025, with December’s full moon set to rise on 4 December.
Even if you don’t plan for it, you’ll probably notice it the moment you step outside.
It will be the brightest object in the night sky!
Supermoon season comes to an end for 2025
December’s full moon, also known as the Cold Moon, is the fourth and final Supermoon of the year.
Supermoons tend to arrive in groups because of the way the moon orbits Earth. Its orbit is slightly oval, which means the moon moves closer during certain parts of the year. When a full moon occurs during this closest point, called perigee, it appears larger and brighter than usual.
NASA notes that a supermoon can look 14 percent larger and 33 percent brighter than a full moon that appears at apogee, the farthest point in the moon’s orbit.
This makes December’s Cold Moon one of the best lunar shows of the year, aside from rare events like lunar eclipses.
The moon will reach peak brightness on the evening of 4 December. In South Africa, that means the show starts after sunset and remains visible throughout the night.
Even if clouds get in the way, the moon will still appear more than 90 percent full from 2 to 6 December, giving skywatchers a wide window to enjoy it.
This final Supermoon of the year is called the Cold Moon, which comes from traditional Northern Hemisphere observations, where early December marks the beginning of icy weather. For South Africans, it’s the opposite, but the name remains tied to the full moon that appears during this period in the lunar calendar.
What South African sky watchers need to know
• Peak visibility: 4 December after sunset
• Best time to look: Anytime during the night, weather permitting
• Visibility window: 2–6 December with the moon 90% or more illuminated
• Equipment: Not required, but binoculars add extra detail
• Why it’s special: It’s the final supermoon of 2025 and one of the brightest full moons of the year
