The December 2017 Supermoon

“Merlin In The Moon” by Springwolf 🐾

The Last Full Moon of 2017

According to my “Moon Phase: Pro” app, December’s full moon occurs at 10:47am Sunday December 3rd, 2017 Eastern US time. Thanks to modern science we can pinpoint the exact time of each moon phase. And thanks to the U.S. Naval Observatory’s Astronomical Applications Department and the internet, we don’t need an app to help us find those precise moments.

In centuries past, the folks we like to call the Ancient Pagans, didn’t have the precise tools we have today. They did have their own eyes and their early forms of astronomy to help them track the heavenly bodies in the sky. All around the world they used early methods to mark the important times of what know today as the months and the seasonal changes to honor the spirits and the natural world in their lives.

They may not have understood the concept of perigee within the celestial bodies, giving rise to some wondrous myths and legends. Today we know that Perigee occurs once a year when the moon is at its closest point to Earth during its orbit around the planet. This makes the Moon appear larger from our perspective, than we usually witness.

This December full moon should shine 16 percent brighter and 7 percent larger than normal, reports National Geographic. But that’s not as large and bright as the SuperMoon of November 2016, which was the closest perigee in 68 years. The Ancients could see that this special full moon was different from the others and that certainly had influence in how they honored and celebrated GrandMother Moon.

This year, the SuperMoon will be a little extra special in our house as it coincides with someone’s birthday (no not mine). So we’ll be having an extra special observance. Whatever your plans are to honor GrandMother moon, I hope they’re a little extra special for you and yours as we witness the Moon in Perigee.

If you’re new to celebrating the magik of the full moon, this would be a great time to hold your first ritual. Have some fun, do what “feels right” to you. There’s no right or wrong way to express yourself in magik. Take a little time to do some quick reading and get an idea of what a full moon represents in the life of a Pagan and then do your own thing. Oh and of course you don’t have to be Pagan to honor the Moon’s blessings. Anyone can do that.

Here are a few of the articles on Springwolf Reflections that I’ve written about the Moon and what she means to Pagans in general. But keep in mind, correspondences are NEVER set in stone. Where you are in the world, the culture you connect with and even how you personally see the Moon can all have varying influences on your spiritual observances. And that’s as it should be. So don’t be afraid to change things up if you feel drawn to do so.

The Black Moon – Explanation, History, Significance & Ritual
Once In A Blue Moon – Explanation, History, Significance & Ritual
The Full Moon In The Southern Hemisphere – What Is The Name Of The Moon
Sun & Moon – Watching On Your Phone
The Legend Of The Sun and The Moon – How The Sun Loved The Moon
The Correspondence Of This and That – The Meaning Behind Correspondence Lists

In addition to the posts here on my blog, you might like to read the articles I’ve written on my original website The Pagan’s Path.

Other Workings With The Moon
The Monthly Full Moon / Moon Names
Lunar Calendars – A Short History

I still get asked at almost every cycle of the Full Moon, why I no longer publish the calendar. I wrote about this in 2014 here on my blog: Moon Phase Calendar – Update.