This year's final full moon will be a Christmas cold moon. It will rise near sunset from Monday through Wednesday and reach peak illumination at 7:33 pm EDT Tuesday.

Christmas ‘cold moon,’ the final full moon of 2023, will reach its peak tonight Published: Dec. 26, 2023, 11:28 a.m. The full cold moon in December is the last full moon of the year.

The final full moon of 2023 will peer over the horizon on Monday, the night of Christmas, and reach its peak the following evening — offering a warm lunar glow during the cool holiday nights.

The final full moon of 2023 will peer over the horizon on Monday, the night of Christmas, and reach its peak the following evening - offering a warm lunar glow during the cool holiday nights.

Prior to that, the last full moon on Christmas Day was in 1977. This phenomenon is relatively rare because the lunar cycle is about 29.5 days, and Christmas falls on the same date every year.

The Cold Moon — the 13th and final full moon of 2023 — will rise on Dec. 26 and reach higher in the night sky than any other. It will also appear full on Dec. 25 and 27.