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TECHNOLOGY

When Is the December Full Cold Moon Mars Eclipse and How to See It

The last full moon of the year will occur at the same time that Mars aligns with the Earth, moon and sun, meaning the Red Planet will be at its brightest.

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It is nearly time for the cold moon—the last full moon of winter 2022. The celestial event is expected to be visible in the night sky on December 7, from 11:09 p.m. ET, although it will continue to appear full and bright until December 8.
Full moon
A stock photo shows a full moon. The cold moon is the last full moon of 2022. Cylonphoto/Getty
The cold moon is so-named as it rises around the time of the winter solstice—when the Earth's Northern Hemisphere is at its maximum tilt away from the sun, resulting in the shortest day and longest night. The moon will be visible alongside Saturn, Jupiter and Mars. However, this event will be even more special than usual—it will occur just as Mars will also become "in opposition" with the sun, making its red glow even brighter than usual. During this event, the Earth, the moon, the sun and Mars will all align. This spectacle happens only every 26 months, with the next one occurring in January 2025. Skygazers will not want to miss a rare opportunity to view the Red Planet at its best. This will also result in an eclipse of Mars on the evening of December 7, so the cold moon will visibly cover the planet's bright-red glow for around an hour. Although it is not rare for the moon to block a planet, this one is particularly notable as it occurs when Mars is at its fullest and brightest.

How Can You See the Cold Moon Mars Eclipse?

Those in North America are best situated to view the phenomenon, which will occur shortly after sundown on December 7. People in Europe, parts of Africa and the Middle East may also be able to spot it in the early morning of December 8, Space.com reported. The best view will be to those with clear skies, and of course, telescopes and binoculars will also help skygazers catch the celestial event. However, even those not positioned to catch the eclipse will be able to see the moon and Mars closely together.
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Those outside the occultation zone can also watch the spectacle on online streaming platforms. The Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, and the McDonald Observatory at the University of Texas at Austin, are both offering a free online livestream of the spectacle, beginning at 9 p.m. ET. The Virtual Telescope Project is also showing a livestream of the eclipse, starting at 10 p.m. ET. All livestream links can be found on their YouTube channels. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the eclipse? Let us know via science@newsweek.com. Correction, 01/10/23, 5:15 a.m. ET: This article was updated to clarify that the winter solstice is due to the Earth's tilt, not its distance from the sun.