The Christmas celebrations may be coming to an end, but there's one last treat in store for budding skywatchers.
Be sure to keep an eye on the sky this evening as the cold moon reaches maximum illumination.
This is the last opportunity to see the full moon this year, and it will be a great opportunity to discover some of the moon's geological features with the naked eye.
From the UK, the moon will rise in the northeast at 2:52pm GMT shortly before sunset at 3:57pm later today.
The moon will then set in the northwest at 9:07 a.m. GMT, meaning it will be in the sky all night.
The full cold moon will reach maximum illumination tonight shortly after midnight, as this image from El Salvador shows
A cold full moon is seen here behind the castle and village of Rocca Calassio in Calassio, Italy, in the early hours of December 27, 2023.
You may have already seen the moon appear large and bright in the sky on Boxing Day as the full moon makes its first appearance.
But if you've already had a well-deserved Boxing Day nap by that point, don't worry because tonight's show will be even brighter.
Technically, the Moon is only “full” when it is exactly 180 degrees opposite the Sun for a brief period.
However, the Moon appears full from Earth for two days on either side of this situation.
This means that tonight will be your last chance this year to see the full moon.
You won't need any special equipment to get a great view of the moon tonight, but to get the best view try to capture the moon at peak light.
At 00:33 AM GMT in the UK or 7:33 PM EST in the US, the Moon will reach its maximum brightness, in the winter constellation Orion.
Alternatively, try to catch the moon just before or after rise to get a great view of it over some local landmarks.
It will also take advantage of the “moon illusion”, an optical illusion that makes the moon appear larger than usual when it is close to the horizon.
A cold full moon rises over the San Mateo Bridge and San Francisco Bay in San Mateo, California, US on December 26, 2023.
Whenever a full moon appears, it is given a nickname depending on the month of the year – a tradition dating back hundreds of years. “Cold Moon” refers to
The Moon will be 85% illuminated this weekend, so it will be a great opportunity to get a good view of some of the Moon features shown on this map
Even with the naked eye, viewers will be able to see the “seas” of the moon.
These dark regions do not contain water, as early astronomers thought, but are actually levels of cooled lava large enough to be seen from Earth.
For example, tonight, any stargazer should easily be able to see the sea of calm and tranquility.
But for anyone who might be testing out a new telescope or pair of binoculars tonight, Jessica Lee, an astronomer at the Royal Greenwich Observatory, told MailOnline the moon is a great way to practice.
“If you've never used one before, finding something to look at through a telescope is the first challenge,” Ms Lee told MailOnline.
“Try to start with something that can be easily seen with your eyes, and don't get discouraged if it takes a while to locate it with a telescope, as it can be difficult,” Ms Lee adds.
“Consider your night vision – go somewhere away from street lights where possible, switch to night vision mode on any apps you use if they have the option, and turn off any torches or other light sources.”
However, if you're planning to go out to watch the moon tonight, be sure to prepare for bad weather.
If you're going out to watch the moon tonight, be prepared for some bad weather as rain and wind are expected over large parts of the UK
The Christmas celebrations may be coming to an end, but there's one last treat in store for budding skywatchers
Make sure you are dressed appropriately and are prepared for some wet conditions.
The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for large parts of the country including Scotland, southern England, Wales and northern England.
Heavy rain and even snow is expected across Scotland and England, with temperatures expected to drop to 39°F (4°C).
There are expected to be some breaks in cloud cover by midnight tonight, so there will be some chances to get a good view of this dazzling display.
The cold moon made its debut on Boxing Day, as it did here in Los Angeles, but tonight will be the last night to see the full moon in 2023.
The Cold Moon, sometimes the Cold Long Night Moon, gets its name from its proximity to the winter solstice.
It is often said that this is derived from the traditional names of the Mohawk Native American tribe for the different moons of the year.
However, this tradition has already been popularized by the American Farmers' Almanac and the names are chosen somewhat arbitrarily.
While the moon will be large and bright, this is not a supermoon – the name given to the full moon at its closest point in its orbit around Earth.
Because the Moon's orbital path is elliptical, it gets closer and closer to Earth during the lunar cycle.
At its peak tonight, the moon will be about 239,806 miles (385,930 kilometers) from Earth.
However, a full moon is only considered a supermoon when it is less than 223,693 miles (360,000 kilometers) from Earth.
During a supermoon, when the Moon is at its closest to Earth, the Moon may appear up to 14% larger.
The next opportunity to view the supermoon will be on September 18, 2024, according to the Royal Greenwich Museum.
(Tags for translation)dailymail