December's full moon, called the Cold Moon, falls on Dec. 15 at 4:02 a.m. Eastern Time (0902 UTC). For some observers in Central and South America it will occult the star Beta Tauri, the second-brightest star in Taurus, and three days later the moon will occult Mars.
For New York City observers, the moon will rise the evening of Dec. 14 at 3:33 p.m., according to the U.S. Naval Observatory, and set the next morning at 7:49 a.m. Sunrise on Dec. 15 is at 7:13 a.m. Eastern Time. The occultation of Beta Tauri, also called Elnath, won't be visible there, but at the moment of the occultation the moon will pass less than a degree from the star; by about 3:30 a.m. Eastern on Dec. 15, the moon will be about one lunar diameter to the left and just below (south) of Elnath.
