A full moon and a retrograde. What effect could this have on your holiday mood and habits?
Heads up, skygazers. The upcoming Cold Full Moon is part of a combination of fairly significant celestial events with astrological, cultural and practical implications. Not to be dramatic, but things might get weird for a while, and if you’ve been feeling a bit out of sorts recently, it’s for good reason.
The moon will appear early on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 5:48 p.m. EST, but it will be visible as early as Saturday night and well into Monday as well.
What’s a Cold Moon?
December’s full moon is often referred to as the Cold Moon, which is “a Mohawk name that conveys the frigid conditions of this time of year when cold weather truly begins to grip us,” says Old Farmer’s Almanac.
It’s also known as the “long night moon” because of its nearness to the winter solstice, which marks the longest night of the year.
This Cold Moon is a lunar rarity
The Cold Moon will also rise and set at its most extreme northerly points on the horizon, a lunar rarity, according to the Time and Date site.
This lunar rarity, called a “major lunar standstill” only occurs once every 18.6 years and takes the moon to the most extremes of its orbits. This is due to the tilt of the Moon’s orbit relative to the Earth’s equator, which allows it to rise and set at a much wider range than the sun.
It’s not a competition, but if it were, the moon would totally win December.
The moon will climb higher and stay visible longer, making for some exceptional sky watching this weekend.
Historical significance of this event
Major lunar standstills have great historical importance and some believe that ancient cultures were aware of (and tracked) these kinds of celestial occurrences.
In fact, Stonehenge, Callanish and Newgrane are all aligned with the moonrise during a major lunar standstill.
The last retrograde of Mercury for 2024
The Cold Moon appearing on Sunday comes smack dab in the middle of the last Mercury retrograde of 2024, which has been creating chaos for a while.
The current Mercury retrograde began on Nov. 25, 2024, and will culminate with the rise of the Cold Moon on Dec. 15. It is the fourth and final (thank goodness) of the year and could likely affect many aspects of our life.
Daily Life
Communication issues could occur this weekend. Expect misunderstandings and delays, and double check important messages for understanding.
Technology and travel might get hectic. Technological difficulties may occur as well as logistical mishaps. Give yourself extra time and be overly cautious with travel.
Routine and order. Infamously, the retrogrades can disrupt schedules and cause disorder. Underlying issues may surface, which will need extra attention and resolution.
Emotional and psychological
Self-reflection — It can be helpful to confront the unresolved traumas and baggage from your past.
Relationship challenges — During this time, existing problems may become exacerbated, so pay attention to how you interact with loved ones.
Anxiety and stress — Increased anxiety and brain fog can make you want to withdraw, but resist that urge.
Unfortunately, all this occurs during an already stressful time of year and full moons can often amplify anything that is happening cosmically.
Advice that is good for navigating a full moon and a retrograde is generally good advice during the holidays as well:
Be present and enjoy the day you’re in; practice patience and kindness; and focus on your peace and well being.
