Why is the full moon in December called the Cold Moon?

But why is it called that, and when is the winter solstice this month? Here's the lowdown…

Why is December's full moon called the Cold Moon?

This month's full moon got its name from simply the cold weather it tends to bring.

This year, it will shine its brightest here in Britain at 5.49pm on December 22.

It will be the last full moon in 2018.

What is a full moon?

This spectacle occurs when the earth comes directly between the sun and the moon.

It happens every 29 and a half days, and each month's full moon has a special name.

When is the winter solstice 2018?

This year’s winter solstice, which is also known as midwinter, occurred on December 21 at 10.23pm.

Celebrations at Stonehenge then kicked off at 8.04am on December 22, with druids, pagans and revellers taking part in a ceremony to mark the shortest day of the year.

The world "solstice" comes from the Latin solstitium meaning "sun stands still" because the apparent movement of the sun's path north or south stops before changing direction.

It is the shortest day of the year, having the least amount of daylight, and will generate the longest night.

Across Europe it is known as Yule, from the Norse word Jul (or juul), meaning wheel.

In the northern hemisphere it is when the North Pole is pointing away from the sun.

After the winter solstice the amount of daylight hours in the UK will increase.

Why is the Winter Solstice so special this year?

This year's Winter Solstice is extra special as it coincided with a spectacular meteor shower and a full moon.

The annual Ursid meteor shower occurs as debris from Comet 8P/Tuttle hits our atmosphere, sparking as many as five to ten shooting stars an hour.

Which full moons have we already seen this year?

JANUARY 2018: Wolf Moon

Sometimes known as Old Moon, this spectacle shined brightest at 3.24am on January 2.

Wolves were often heard howling with hunger in America around this time of year – which is how the moon got its name.

JANUARY 2018: Snow Moon/Blue Moon

January was a double treat for full moon fans – with a second supermoon on January 31.

The moon, which peaked at 1.26pm, is named after America's snowy season.

Because it's the second spectacle in a month, it can also be known as the Blue Moon.

While some call it the Hunger Moon, because of the difficult hunting conditions at this time.

FEBRUARY 2018: No full moon

There was no full moon is February 2018, after the double excitement of January.

The last time this happened was in 1999, and it occurs about four times-a-century.

February is the only month when this is possible because, at 28 or 29 days, it's shorter than the lunar cycle.

MARCH 2018: Worm Moon

This particular spectacle has many names – and can also be known as the Sap Moon, Crow Moon or Lenten Moon.

In 2018, it fell on March 2 – and shone its brightest at 12.51am.

APRIL 2018: Pink Moon

Despite its name, don't be expecting a pink moon. This spectacle is named after the wildflowers which grow in the United States and Canada in the spring.

It's also known as the Egg Moon or Fish Moon, because of the shad fish that swim upstream at this time of year.

This moon is particularly important because it is used to fix the date of Easter, which falls on the first Sunday after the Pink Moon, and marks the start of the Jewish Passover.

In 2018, the pink moon rose on April 30 at 01.58am.

MAY 2018: Flower Moon

This moon signifies the blooming of flowers and the variety of flowers that bare their petals in May – it is also known as Corn Planting Moon and Milk Moon.

In 2018, you could catch this full moon on May 29. It peaked at 3.19pm.

JUNE 2018: Strawberry Moon

This moon gets its name as it is the time the fruit ripens.

Other names for it are Hot Moon, Mead Moon and Rose Moon.

JULY 2018: Thunder Moon

Also known as the Buck Moon,  as new antlers emerge from bucks' foreheads around this time of the year.

It is named after the thunderstorms which typically fall during this season.

This was also the second total lunar eclipse of 2018, which was visible in large parts of Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America.

AUGUST 2018: Sturgeon Moon

Native Americans named this moon after the large number of sturgeon fish in the lakes at this time.

It's also known as the Green Corn Moon, Barley Moon, Fruit Moon or Grain Moon on August 26.

SEPTEMBER 2018: Harvest Moon

This full moon, which falls closest to the September equinox, is named after the Harvest season.

It shone at its brightest at 3.52am on September 25.

The month of the Harvest Moon varies with it appearing in October every three years.

When it appears in October the September Moon is known as Full Corn Moon.

OCTOBER 2018: Hunter's Moon

As people planned ahead to winter, October traditionally became a big time for hunting game – which were becoming fatter thanks to falling grains.

It's also known as the Travel Moon or, rather depressingly, the Dying Grass Moon.

It was very visible on October 24.

Every three years the October Moon is the Harvest Moon.

NOVEMBER: Beaver Moon

This moon is named after the beavers who build their winter dams at this time of year.

It's also known as the Frost Moon, for obvious reasons, and peaked at 5.39am on November 23.

Traditionally, the last full moon before the winter solstice has also been named the Mourning Moon.

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