Tonight – December 24, 2015 – watch for the full moon that we in the Northern Hemisphere call the Long Night Moon or Cold Moon. It’ll shine all night long, starting around sunset on this night. The full moon, our nocturnal sun, stays out throughout the night, and then sleeps in during the day. The December full moon, like the June sun, climbs up high as seen from the Northern Hemisphere sky. That’s another reason for the name Long Night Moon. The full moon nearest the winter solstice travels a high path across the sky and so stays in the sky a long time.
From the Southern Hemisphere, where the days are long and the nights are short, perhaps we could call the December full moon the Short Night Moon. After all, it’s the hot season in that hemisphere now, and nights are short. From the Southern Hemisphere, the December full moon hangs low, mimicking that hemisphere’s June sun.
Wait, you say? You heard this year’s full moon is on Christmas Day? It is, for the first time since 1977. We’re providing information about the full moon on December 24 because – although the calendar gives December 25 as the full moon date – the moon might look more full for you on this date.
From North America, the moon reaches the crest of its full phase before sunrise December 25. At North American time zones, the moon turns precisely full – resides 180o from the sun in ecliptic longitude – at 6:11 a.m. EST, 5:11 a.m. CST, 4:11 a.m. MST or 3:11 a.m. PST.
In other words, the moon turns full in the predawn hours December 25, 2015, for the most of North America. See the worldwide map below.
Day and night sides of Earth at the instant of December 2015 full moon (2015 December 25 at 11:11 Universal Time). The shadow line running south of North America and north of South America indicates sunrise December 25. The shadow line running to the east (right) of India depicts sunset December 25.
The December 24 moon shines to the north of Orion the Mighty Hunter, in front of the stars depicting Orion’s Club. Despite the lunar glare, you still might be able to make out the constellation Orion’s two brightest stars: Betelgeuse and Rigel.
Bottom line: From around the world, the December 24 moon rises in the east around sunset, climbs highest for the night around midnight and sets in the west around sunrise. For North America, the full moon comes early in the morning on December 25. Wherever you may live worldwide, watch for the moon to light up the nighttime from dusk until dawn.
Read more: For the Western Hemisphere, first full moon on Christmas since 1977
Donate: Your support means the world to us
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1Oc1zoA
Tonight – December 24, 2015 – watch for the full moon that we in the Northern Hemisphere call the Long Night Moon or Cold Moon. It’ll shine all night long, starting around sunset on this night. The full moon, our nocturnal sun, stays out throughout the night, and then sleeps in during the day. The December full moon, like the June sun, climbs up high as seen from the Northern Hemisphere sky. That’s another reason for the name Long Night Moon. The full moon nearest the winter solstice travels a high path across the sky and so stays in the sky a long time.
From the Southern Hemisphere, where the days are long and the nights are short, perhaps we could call the December full moon the Short Night Moon. After all, it’s the hot season in that hemisphere now, and nights are short. From the Southern Hemisphere, the December full moon hangs low, mimicking that hemisphere’s June sun.
Wait, you say? You heard this year’s full moon is on Christmas Day? It is, for the first time since 1977. We’re providing information about the full moon on December 24 because – although the calendar gives December 25 as the full moon date – the moon might look more full for you on this date.
From North America, the moon reaches the crest of its full phase before sunrise December 25. At North American time zones, the moon turns precisely full – resides 180o from the sun in ecliptic longitude – at 6:11 a.m. EST, 5:11 a.m. CST, 4:11 a.m. MST or 3:11 a.m. PST.
In other words, the moon turns full in the predawn hours December 25, 2015, for the most of North America. See the worldwide map below.
Day and night sides of Earth at the instant of December 2015 full moon (2015 December 25 at 11:11 Universal Time). The shadow line running south of North America and north of South America indicates sunrise December 25. The shadow line running to the east (right) of India depicts sunset December 25.
The December 24 moon shines to the north of Orion the Mighty Hunter, in front of the stars depicting Orion’s Club. Despite the lunar glare, you still might be able to make out the constellation Orion’s two brightest stars: Betelgeuse and Rigel.
Bottom line: From around the world, the December 24 moon rises in the east around sunset, climbs highest for the night around midnight and sets in the west around sunrise. For North America, the full moon comes early in the morning on December 25. Wherever you may live worldwide, watch for the moon to light up the nighttime from dusk until dawn.
Read more: For the Western Hemisphere, first full moon on Christmas since 1977
Donate: Your support means the world to us
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1Oc1zoA
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