Extra special supermoon visible over the Netherlands on December 5
The Netherlands is in for a treat on Friday, December 5, as the final supermoon of 2025 is set to brighten the skies. The moon will be unusually high in the sky, making the last supermoon of the year extra special.
Cold Moon on December 5 to shine high in the sky
On Friday, December 5, the last supermoon of 2025 will be visible in the sky above the Netherlands. Compared to the October and November supermoons, December’s is expected to be special because it will be “particularly high in the sky”, reports Blick.
Known as the “Cold Moon”, this supermoon will be higher than other supermoons because of its closeness to the winter solstice, taking place on December 21. The winter solstice is when the moon is at the highest point in its orbit around Earth.
Along with its closeness to the winter solstice, a lunar standstill is also expected. This is when “the moon's orbit and Earth's orbit overlap in such a way that the moon reaches its greatest distance from Earth,” continues Blick.
Supermoon won’t appear this big again until 2042
The occurrence of both the winter solstice and the lunar standstill means that the December 5 supermoon will be extra special. Predictions suggest that no other supermoon will be this high in the sky until 2042.
The Cold Moon is expected to peak in the Netherlands at 12.15am on Friday. The weather on Thursday and into Friday is predicted to be partly cloudy with occasional rain showers. Highs will be around 5 degrees celsius, according to the Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute (KNMI), so wrap up warm and head to an area with limited light pollution and an open view of the sky for the best moon views.
This article was originally appeared on IamExpat in Switzerland.
Editor at IamExpat Media