A Full Moon Will Shine on Christmas Night: the First in Decades
For the first time in 38 years there will be a full moon shining down on us this Christmas. The previous full moon on Christmas fell on 1977, the year the first Star Wars was released and Jimmy Carter was in the White House. Take the opportunity before opening presents to step outside and appreciate our unique place in the solar system.
You can witness the moon at its peak at 6:11 a.m. EST on Christmas day if you are too excited to sleep. If you miss this one, you’ll have to wait another 19 years until 2034 to witness the next full moon on Christmas. NASA has calculated that a more uncommon occurrence, a Christmas lunar eclipse will next occur on December 25, 2531. However, if you’re not keen on waiting that long, you can view a solar eclipse on Christmas day 2307 instead.
The ‘Full Cold Moon’ presents a perfect opportunity to learn interesting facts about our moon, it’s rotation around Earth, and how it was formed.
Read the article “A Full Moon Will Shine on Christmas Night: the First in Decades” on forbes.com.