Christmas Day to see first full moon for 38 years

“But two Metonic cycles ago – 38 years [or 2 X 19 years] – the full moon fell on Christmas Day”. Many parents with small kids probably mistook it for Santa on his sleigh.

Astronomers got an early Christmas present Thursday when an asteroid flew by Earth at a distance of 6.8 million miles, according to NASA. Not since 1977 has a full moon dawned in the skies on Christmas, but 2015 sees a bright full moon as an added gift for the holidays. This moon is called Full Cold Moon because of its full size and the timing of the start of winter.

Christmas revelers had something extra to celebrate this year. Sometimes, it is even called Full Cold Moon, Full Long Nights Moon or the Moon before Yule. He and his reindeers will have already zoomed across the horizon.

The last time we had a full Christmas moon was in 1977. A report by the Weather.com says that the full moon will peak at 4:11 a.m. Christmas day.

“Cold” is a relative term this year.

“As we look at the moon on such an occasion, it’s worth remembering that the moon is more than just a celestial neighbor”, said John Keller at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Among the great pictures of the moon was one provided by NASA, taken by its orbiting Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.