As a child, one of my favorite things about the last months of the year was watching the moon from the segundo piso in Anillo Periférico. “December moons are the most beautiful of the year,” my father used to tell me. And he was right about that.
I remember clearly coming back from dining at my grandma’s and being absolutely taken aback by the moon’s enormous, copper face on a December night. I even thought it was a big light bulb, and was moved when I realized it was actually the moon, peeking from behind skyscrapers and billboards. It was as if we were playing catch with her, racing away across Periférico.
Little did I know back then that what I was seeing in Mexico City’s night sky was a supermoon. Over 15 years later, capital dwellers will experience the exact same phenomenon this December! Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 supermoon in Mexico City, and some tips to enjoy your astronomical observation to the fullest this year.
What is a supermoon and is it a rare phenomenon?
A supermoon is not a common occurrence in the night sky. According to NASA, this phenomenon happens “when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth (known as perigee) at the same time as a full moon.” This explains why these full moons appear larger from Earth’s perspective. It looks that way because it’s closer to us.
Not only does it look bigger, but it’s also more brilliant. The brightness of a supermoon is 14% greater than that of an average full moon, according to NASA’s records. Even during Mexico City’s misty December nights, this is a sight to be seen. The best part is, you don’t need any specialized equipment to get a glimpse of it this month!
When to watch December’s supermoon from Mexico City
Observation platform StarWalk’s calculations estimate that the December supermoon will be visible to the naked eye from anywhere in the country. So save the date! The night of December 4, however, will be a spectacular one for Mexico’s night skies.
The supermoon will begin at 11:14 p.m. GMT, or 5:14 p.m. in Mexico City. It will reach its peak around 9 p.m., the ideal moment to undertake astrophotography endeavors. However, there are some obstacles that observers from the capital might encounter that night.
Supermoon obstacles
First and foremost, the fact that Mexico City suffers from terrible light pollution is a result of “the inefficient, unnecessary and extreme use of artificial light sources,” per the Institute of Astronomy at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). This makes it practically impossible to see the Milky Way — or any stars, really — from my chaotic hometown.
Second, the fact that 2025 has been an extremely rainy year. We even had the rainiest summer in decades! Given that we have had some heavy clouds in the afternoons recently, it would be a shame — yet, very possible — that a stormy night might interfere with the observation of the supermoon.
If we do get a rainy night on December 4, however, do not worry. There are several alternatives for a clear and safe observation. First, UNAM and NASA usually broadcast supermoons from their official social media accounts. You can join the observation journey online at any time that day.
The other option is to simply wait until the storm ends. Usually, supermoons are most beautiful at dawn the next day.
So, if you’re an early bird like me — and lucky enough to get a clear morning — you’ll get to feast your eyes on the supermoon’s last glows around 5 a.m. on December 5. Nothing beats seeing the full moon with the sky in soft, pink hues in the background.
Andrea Fischer contributes to the features desk at Mexico News Daily. She has edited and written for National Geographic en Español and Muy Interesante México, and continues to be an advocate for anything that screams science. Or yoga. Or both.
Source: Mexico News Daily
