Principal phases in December 2026
| Phase | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Last quarter | ||
| New moon | ||
| First quarter | ||
| Full moon | ||
| Last quarter |
In December 2026: last quarter on December 1, new moon on December 9, first quarter on December 17, full moon on December 24, and last quarter on December 30. The dates and times follow Universal Time until your browser converts them to your own time zone, so a phase that falls near midnight can land on the day before or after where you live.
The full moon of December is traditionally called the Cold Moon. That night the Moon is 356,729 km from Earth, close enough to be called a supermoon.
For stars, meteors and the Milky Way, the darkest nights run from December 6 to December 12, around the new moon, when the Moon stays out of the evening sky.