December features the longest nights of the year, and the final month of 2022 will be packed with astronomical happenings ranging from the most active annual meteor shower to the best views of Mars since 2020.
The final full moon of the year will rise after sunset on Wednesday, December 7, and it will not be alone in the sky. December’s full moon is known as the Cold Moon, a nickname that derives from the chilly Arctic air that begins to settle across North America at the onset of winter. Other weather-themed nicknames for the month’s full moon include the Winter Maker Moon, the Hoar Frost Moon and the Snow Moon.
The full moon will glow extremely close to Mars all night long, with the duo appearing above the constellation Orion, which will rise not long after nightfall in the eastern sky. The Red Planet is about to appear brighter than it has at any point since Oct. 13, 2020, as the planet reaches opposition. Opposition is when an object appears opposite of the sun from the perspective of the Earth and is typically the best time to see the object in the night sky.
The Moon will actually occult (pass in front of) Mars as seen from some locations, including much of North America and Europe. But if you’re an avid stargazer and you’d like to try a more challenging observation, try to observe when Mars disappears and reappears if you live in one of those occult areas. Using binoculars will assist in seeing Mars right next to the Moon. Timing varies up to a few hours depending on where you live. For timing at your location, and more information, you can see in-the-sky.org, but first make sure you enter your location on that same web site at: https://in-the-sky.org/location.php.
Mars reaches opposition once every 26 months, and after this month, it will not happen again until 2025.
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