Moon Phases December 2008

The full moon in December 2008 is on 12 December at 16:37 UTC — traditionally called the Cold Moon. The new moon falls on 27 December at 12:22 UTC. Times are UTC.

First Quarter
5 December
21:25 UTC
Full Moon
12 December
16:37 UTC
Cold Moon
Last Quarter
19 December
10:29 UTC
New Moon
27 December
12:22 UTC

Why the December 2008 full moon is called the Cold Moon

Named for the onset of winter cold.

These are the traditional Colonial and Native American names popularised by the farmers’ almanacs. They are folklore, not astronomy — the phase dates and times on this page are computed and verifiable, the names are naming convention.

Moon phase day by day

DayPhaseIllumination
1 Waxing Crescent12%
2 Waxing Crescent19%
3 Waxing Crescent27%
4 First Quarter36%
5 First Quarter46%
6 First Quarter56%
7 First Quarter67%
8 Waxing Gibbous77%
9 Waxing Gibbous86%
10 Waxing Gibbous93%
11 Full Moon98%
12 Full Moon100%
13 Full Moon99%
14 Waning Gibbous95%
15 Waning Gibbous89%
16 Waning Gibbous80%
17 Waning Gibbous70%
18 Last Quarter60%
19 Last Quarter49%
20 Last Quarter39%
21 Waning Crescent30%
22 Waning Crescent21%
23 Waning Crescent14%
24 Waning Crescent8%
25 New Moon4%
26 New Moon1%
27 New Moon0%
28 New Moon1%
29 New Moon4%
30 Waxing Crescent8%
31 Waxing Crescent14%

Illumination at noon (UTC) for each day.

November 20082008January 2009
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Frequently asked questions

When is the full moon in December 2008?

The full moon in December 2008 is on 12 December at 16:37 UTC, traditionally called the Cold Moon.

What time is the full moon in December 2008?

The moon reaches full phase at 16:37 UTC on 12 December. It looks full to the naked eye for about a day either side of that instant, so the nights before and after are both worth watching.

Why is the December 2008 full moon called the Cold Moon?

Named for the onset of winter cold. These names come from Colonial and Native American tradition and were popularised by the farmers' almanacs — they are naming convention rather than astronomy, while the phase dates and times on this page are computed and verifiable.

When is the new moon in December 2008?

The new moon in December 2008 is on 27 December at 12:22 UTC.