Smoky Mountain Long Cold Full Moon
Smoky Mountain Long Cold Full Moon is on the rise! The final full moon for 2019 and the decade will reach its apex at 12:12 a.m. on December 12th. This lunar event is sometimes called the “Long Night’s Moon” or the “Full Cold Moon.” During this moon phase the moon will sit above the horizon much longer than it normally does.
The “Long Cold” moon is the harbinger of the bleakness associated with the beginning of winter. This event is followed by colder average temperatures and more hours of darkness. The winter solstice (the official start of winter) occurs on December 21st, a full week after the Long Cold Moon.
Be on the lookout for the moon to appear a few minutes before sunset. The moon should be visible in the Smoky Mountains by 5:10 p.m. That time assumes you are in a spot with a good vantage point like Clingmans Dome or Cades Cove. If you are down in a deep holler it could be much later and depending on the surrounding mountains you may not see the moon at all.
Bonus Smoky Mountain Astrological Tip – Don’t miss the Geminid Meteor Shower! This is the most active meteor shower of the year and you should be able to see hundreds of meteors in a few hours. This event happens early to mid December each year. Typically the best viewing is December 13th. This year the show may be a little more difficult to see thanks to its competition with the moon. With the Full Cold moon happening almost in unison with the shower the sky will be brighter than normal. Try your luck around 9:00 p.m. on the 13th by looking toward the darkest region of sky in your area.
