Rare Full Moon On Christmas Day, Won’t Accure Again Until 2034

So in the winter in the northern hemisphere, the sun is low in its path across the sky and the full moon – being opposite the sun – is high in its path across the sky.

It’s also sometimes called the “Full Oak Moon” – a name which dates from ancient pagan ceremonies which focused on the spiritual significance of the oak tree, and took place at the time of the December full moon.

(AP Photo/Orlin Wagner). The Long Night Moon rises behind a cross at Christ Community Church in Lawrence, Kan., Thursday, Dec. 24, 2015.

Gaze up into the sky and you’ll see something rare.

“But two Metonic cycles ago – 38 years [or 2 X 19 years] – the full moon fell on Christmas Day”.

The moon from Helsinki on Christmas Eve.

According to NASA, the last full moon of the year is called the Full Cold Moon.

The holiday full moon was to be at its peak visibility at 5:11 a.m. today in many parts of the country. Of course “cold” is relative these days. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission has been investigating the lunar surface since 2009.

The full moon helped light the way for Santa and his reindeer early on Christmas Day as the event will happened in the United Kingdom at 6.11am on December 25.

LRO has collected a treasure trove of data with its seven powerful instruments, making an invaluable contribution to our knowledge about the moon. So, unless you have a very good memory, you might want to look up at the sky on Friday and marvel at the moon’s magnificence.