Historically, many cultures have looked to the moon rather than the sun to help track the months and seasons—and they adopted special names for full moons throughout the year. That’s why, in the Northern Hemisphere, a full moon that appears in December is known as the Cold Moon, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, a nod to the chilly temperatures of winter. Various American Indian tribes have given it equally descriptive names, including the Long Night Moon, as it occurs near the winter solstice. Other Native American terms include Oak Moon, Big Spirit Moon, and Snow Moon. The Cold Moon of 2018 rises this evening about 15 minutes after sunset. And in case you’re wondering, the moonrise on our homepage image today was photographed over the Thunderer, a mountain in Yellowstone National Park, in Wyoming.
Night of the ‘Cold Moon’
Today in History
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Hispanic Heritage Month
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In the footsteps of Leopold Bloom
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Victory Day in Valletta
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Horseshoe Bend, Arizona
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Best fronds forever
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Navajo Bridge in Marble Canyon
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Giving Tuesday
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World Bee Day
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The Sky Over Nine Columns in Venice, Italy
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That s quite a schnoz, baby tapir
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Falling for the Canadian Rockies
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Crimson-rumped toucanet in the Refugio Paz de Las Aves, Ecuador
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Mountain goats at Glacier National Park in Montana
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Winter in Old Nuuk
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World Laughter Day—it s a hoot
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World Children s Day
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Saffron in bloom
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Festivus
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Agüero, Huesca province, Spain
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Have you turned off your electronic device?
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Barcelona bids farewell to summer
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World Rhinoceros Day
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National Park Week: Yosemite National Park, California
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A long path to freedom
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Skyscraper Day
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Can you see the family resemblance?
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Henningsvær Stadion, Norway
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An opulent backdrop for a historic event
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Göreme, Cappadocia, Turkey