Don't Miss the Full Cold Moon and Meteor Shower This Weekend
If you glance up the sky on Saturday evening, you might catch an impressive sight as December's full moon makes an appearance.
The precise time of the full moon is 12:49 p.m. EST on 22 December, although it's set to be visible through the night as it rises in the east after the sun sets.
Like the other full moons throughout the year, the name "Cold Moon" relates to the month it appears in, with December marking the start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
According to the Farmer's Almanac, it has also been referred to as the Long Nights Moon because it occurs around the time of the winter solstice, which takes place on 21 December this year. As Space.com notes, it's rare for a full moon to fall on the same day as the solstice. It last happened in 2010, and it isn't due again until 2094.
This isn't the only celestial event to look out for over the weekend. The Ursids meteor shower is set to peak around 22 December, when up to 10 meteors an hour are expected to be visible. Keep an eye out late in the evening for optimum viewing, although they might not be that easy to spot, thanks to the glow of the full moon.
"This year, an outburst to double normal is due, but the meteors will pale next to the sky's full moon," Space.com writes.
If you miss out on this month's spot of stargazing? The Wolf Moon will follow in January.
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