Saturday, December 7, 2024

over the Cold Moon

This is my last "over the moon" blog post!  Learning about the full moon for each month, looking back at my photographs of full moons and then creating a watercolour painting of each month's full moon has been an enjoyable and fulfilling project.  It was a learning process about the moon and for my painting.  I hope this project opened your eyes to the wonderment of the moon, especially the full moons. 

The full moon for December is called the Cold Moon and will be at 100% illumination on Sunday December 15, 2024 at 2:02 AM Mountain Time. This is a Mohawk name that conveys the frigid conditions at this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere.  This full moon is also called the Long Night Moon because it rises during the longest nights of the year closest to the Winter Solstice which is Saturday December 21st.  

The full Cold Moon happens near the peak of the Geminid Meteor shower which is December 13th and the 14th.  This is not good for those of you who are meteor shower chasers.  What you will be able to see though is Jupiter which will appear bright and close to the moon. Another thing about seeing this year's moonrise and moonset of December's full Cold Moon is that it will appear at the most northerly points on the horizon which only happens every 18.6 years.  The next time this occurs will be in 2043.

This is my watercolour painting of the Cold Moon and will represent December in my 2025 Calendar.  I had the three reference photos, shown below, in front of me while creating this painting.  Looking at each photo brought me back to those moments in time and gave me that frigid feel I remember experiencing. I incorporated that feeling when laying the paint on the paper.  


 
This is my 2025 Calendar!  I know as I turn each page to a new month, I will remember back to the wonderful journey I followed creating the Calendar.   The full moon will now mean more than ever to me. Even though I will not be making an appoint to see it and capture a photo of it during the middle of the night or the wee wee wee hours of the morning, I will always acknowledge it if I see it when I am "out & about". 



Wherever I am on the night of December 15th, 
I will be over the moon if I get to witness the full Cold Moon!



12 comments:

  1. I love your Cold Moon painting. What a great idea to create a calendar with all your moon paintings.

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    1. It was a learning process and enjoyable project! I will have to think of a painting project for this coming year!

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  2. Hello,
    Your moon photos and art work look beautiful! I like your calendar too. I have to hope for clear skies, so we can see the full moon here. Take care, have a happy weekend.

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    1. I hope too for a clear sky for you and me! I don't want to miss the last full moon of the year! Enjoy this new week!

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  3. Your moon painting is lovely, as are the photos. Love the calendar idea. I hope we get to see the Cold Moon on December 15 here.

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    1. Thank You! It would be fitting if it is cold when the full cold Moon occurs but more importantly let's hope it is clear!

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  4. Your series on the full moons has been interesting.

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  5. Thanks for your “full moon” education over the past year. Although I never saw one of them in person, I felt like I did through your eyes. Great idea about the calendar. ❤️Norma

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    1. It was an education for me and nice to know it was for you too!

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  6. Alexandra, Your Many Moons 2025 calendar looks like a professional publication. Well done! I surely did not know about the December Cold Moon rise/set at the most northerly points on the horizon. Thanks for the info! Your watercolor of the Cold Moon is great! John

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    1. Thank You John! I learned so much this year about the moon! Glad to know you and others learned a bit more too about it!

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