Supermoon 2025: What is it? When is the next one? Netizens share stunning pictures as ‘Cold Moon’ reaches its peak

Supermoons occur several times each year in groups, when the Moon reaches an ideal point in its elliptical path, and the one on Thursday night marked the final installment of three consecutive supermoons in 2025.

Also known as “Cold Moon”, the term comes from traditional Northern Hemisphere folklore referring to December’s long, frigid nights.

"When you have a supermoon, that effect is just slightly more striking,” AP quoted stronomer William Alston with the University of Hertfordshire as saying.

What is Supermoon?

A supermoon happens when a full Moon aligns closely with perigee, the point in the Moon’s elliptical orbit where it is nearest to Earth. At this time, the Moon sits at about 3,57,000 km away, around 10 to 14 per cent nearer than usual, which makes it look slightly larger and as much as 30 per cent brighter than the dimmest full moon of the year.

Netizens share stunning pictures of Supermoon

This year featured three supermoons, visible in October, November, and December.

Supermoon 2025 significance

The moniker "Cold Moon" signifies the full moon that occurs nearest to the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

The solstice, which falls on December 21, marks the official start of winter in that hemisphere.

December’s Cold Moon also ascends higher in the sky than any other full moon of the year. As the winter solstice approaches, the Sun sits at its lowest daytime position in the sky, while the full moon, positioned opposite the Sun, reaches its highest nighttime elevation.

The Full Moon is just one stage in the Moon’s 29.5-day journey around Earth, with each phase showing how much of its surface is illuminated from our viewpoint. Although the same side of the Moon always faces us, the angle of sunlight changes as it orbits Earth, causing it to appear fully lit, partially lit, or to seem to vanish altogether.

Moon's 8 phases

The Moon moves through eight repeating phases: the New Moon, when the side facing us is completely dark; the Waxing Crescent, where a slim bright arc appears on the right; the First Quarter, showing the right half illuminated; the Waxing Gibbous, when more than half is lit but it hasn’t reached fullness; the Full Moon, with its entire face bright; the Waning Gibbous, where light begins fading from the right; the Last Quarter, with the left half glowing; and finally the Waning Crescent, a narrow left-side sliver before the Moon turns dark again.

Supermoon 2025: When is the next one?

According to Old Farmer's Almanac, the next supermoon will take place in January 2026.