Cold Moon and Lunar Occultation: Stargazers Wednesday December 07, 2022 again got a chance to see Mars visiting the last Full Moon of the year, also forming tonight another celestial event called "lunar occultation".
Take a gaze over the sky and you will see the Full Bright Moon and bright Mars close to it – forming planet conjunction.
Astronomers have named today’s Full Moon as “Cold Moon”.
The Cold Moon has joined by a guest tonight as a bright Mars meets the moon in the sky, eventually disappearing behind the moon in what is known as a lunar occultation before reappearing again.
In the build-up to the Cold Moon, the Moon has risen an hour earlier each day. Following the full moon and leading to the new moon and the next lunar cycle the moon will rise an hour later each day and will be visible for less and less of the night.
The name for December's Full Moon, the Cold Moon, is attributed to the tradition of the Mohawk people, according to the Farmer's Almanac (opens in new tab). The name reflects the frigid conditions of December and the increasing grip of winter, according to Space.com.
December's full moon is also called Snow Moon from the Haida and Cherokee traditions and the Western Abenaki people's Winter Maker Moon. These names also reflect icy conditions and the deepening of winter.
Alternative names for the Cold Moon describe the effects of winter on the environment and nature. These include the Cree's Frost Exploding Trees Moon and the Moon of the Popping Trees from the Oglala people.
These nature-based names include the Dakota people's name for the December full moon, the Moon When the Deer Shed Their Antlers.
This is the second time in less than two months when Mars has come close to the Moon.
Stargazers had noticed the similar phenomenon on November 11, 2022.
The year 2022 will be ending with a series of celestial events. This included Moon Jupiter Conjunction on November 04, Lunar Eclipse on November 08, Moon Venus Conjunction on November 24 .and Moon Saturn Conjunction on November 01 and 29, 2022.
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