Full Cold Moon to illuminate the sky this week

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) - The last full moon of the year will arrive Wednesday night.

The Full Cold Moon, also known as the Long Night’s Moon, will be officially full at 10:12 p.m. MST, according to Farmers Almanac.

This full moon is also called the Moon Before Yule, in honor of the ancient European festival celebrating the return of the sun heralded by the year’s longest night.

The night of the full moon is the only night of the month when the moon will rise around sunset, shine brightly all night and set around sunrise the following morning. The Full Cold Moon will be precisely full and 100% illuminated by at approximately 10:12 p.m. MST.according to Travel and Leisure.

However, that's not the optimal time to observe the moon. The best time to view the Full Cold Moon is just before sunrise or sunset when its close to the horizon. In Utah, that will be approximately 5:38 p.m. on Wednesday or 7:49 a.m. on Thursday.

It will be joined in the sky by Venus and Saturn, which will be close together after reaching conjunction on Dec. 11.