A supermoon followed by one of the most powerful meteor showers of 2025 will soon be visible over Illinois

Illinois skywatchers are in for a spectacular December as the final supermoon of 2025 coincides with a major meteor shower. The cold supermoon will reach its peak at 7:20 a.m. Central Standard Time on Thursday, December 4. Although the full moon is generally visible a day before and after its peak, experts suggest the best viewing opportunity will be during moonrise at dusk on Friday, December 5.

For Belleville, the moon is expected to rise at 5:12 p.m. on December 5. However, weather conditions could affect visibility in the metro-east area, with partly cloudy skies forecasted for Friday night.

Decembers full moon is known as the Cold Moon, a name reflecting the frigid seasonal temperatures. Other traditional names include the Drift Clearing Moon, Frost Exploding Trees Moon, Moon of the Popping Trees, and Hoar Frost Moon, drawn from Indigenous, colonial, and North American sources.

This Cold Moon will also be a supermoon, the third consecutive one this year. Supermoons appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than when the moon is at its farthest point from Earth. A supermoon occurs when a full or new moon is within 90% of its closest approach to our planet, making it the largest and most luminous moon of the year.

Geminid Meteor Shower Peaks This Month

Alongside the supermoon, December offers the Geminid meteor shower, recognized as one of the most intense and vibrant showers annually. The Geminids will be active from December 4 through December 17, reaching their peak between the night of Saturday, December 13, and early morning Sunday, December 14.

This year, the meteor shower will be particularly favorable for viewing as the moon will be only 30% full, reducing interference. In areas free from city lights, observers could witness more than 100 meteors per hour during the peak. The optimal window for viewing is from 10 p.m. on December 13 to 2 a.m. on December 14.

These celestial events promise an impressive show for Illinois residents, offering both a bright, unusually large moon and a shower of colorful meteors streaking across the night sky.

Author: Lucas Grant