A cold moon is about to rise over California. Here’s when and what that means

Northern California’s rainy weather is forecast to dry up just in time for the last full moon of the year.

December’s full moon, also known as the cold moon, will be entirely illuminated by the sun at 8:09 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7. The moon will be positioned high in the sky, Farmers Almanac wrote on its website, allowing it to sit above the horizon longer than most full moons.

Here’s what you need to know about cold moons and what makes them special, plus the exact time you can view it in the Sacramento area.

When can I see the cold moon?

Even though the cold moon will reach peak illumination at 8:09 p.m., you don’t have to wait until then to steal a peek of the natural satellite.

The moon, according to Farmers Almanac website, should be visible starting just after sunset. In Sacramento, the moon is projected to rise at 4:21 p.m. and set at 6:53 a.m.

After the last full moon of the year, keep an eye out for other three moon phases within December:

Last quarter - 12:59 a.m. on Dec. 16

New moon - 2:17 a.m. on Dec. 23

First quarter - 5:22 p.m. on Dec. 29

The next full moon will be visible in Sacramento on Jan. 17.

What does cold moon mean?

Moon names have been passed down through generations of Native Americans, who traditionally used the month’s moon as a calendar of the seasons.

December’s full moon is commonly referred to as the cold moon, a nod to the month’s chilling temperatures. Here are a few less popular alternative names for December moons:

Drift clearing moon

Frost exploding trees moon

Moon of the popping trees

Hoar frost moon

Snow moon

Winter maker moon

This full moon is also called long night moon because it’s set to rise during the longest nights of the year, hence the name.

Is Mars in retrograde, too?

Mars’ retrograde takes place from Oct. 30 to Jan. 13, according to Conde Naste Traveler, therefore coinciding with the last full moon of 2022, and ending before the first full moon of next year.