The moon is ‘Super’ over Shelter Island
December’s full moon was on dazzling display from late afternoon yesterday until the wee hours this morning.
It will be cloudy this afternoon and evening, but there’s a chance the brightness of the spectacular celestial event will be dipping in and out for viewers lucky enough to be outside.
What we saw and will be seeing is described as a “Super Moon” because, according to Space.com, it’s a full moon that seems, to our eyes, to be larger than usual, since “the full moon can appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than when it is at its farthest from Earth. That’s because it coincides with the moon’s arrival at perigee, the closest point to Earth in its orbit.”
We’ve been blessed by three Super Moons in a row — October, November and December — at the end of 2025.
If you’ve noticed the rise in tides along the coast and in coves and bays that’s due to the full Super Moon.
December’s full moon is known as the Cold Moon, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. It takes its name from the Mohawk Tribe “reflecting the frigid season,” according to that Old Farmer. “It is also known as the Long Night Moon (Mohican) because it rises during the longest nights of the year, near the winter solstice, and remains above the horizon for an extended period.”
We won’t have to wait long for the next Super Moon. According to Astronomy.com, the next one coming along will be on Jan. 3. But then there won’t be another until November 2026.
