Full moon on Christmas for the first time in 38 years
The last festive full moon was in 1977 and the next is not due until 2034, Nasa, the American space agency, told ABC News.
December’s full moon, the last of the year, is also know as the “Full Cold Moon” and the “Moon before Yule.”
Some American Indian tribes call the December full moon the “Long Nights Moon”.
The past 12 months have been marked by some spectacular lunar events.
In March Britain had the most spectacular solar eclipse since 1999. However, the event was marred for sky watchers by cloud in many parts of the country.
There were some reports of birds “going crazy”, having been disoriented by the lack of light.
On September 28 there was a blood moon, a phenomenon created when the moon passes into the earth’s shadow, creating a reddish tinge.
Sunday night's lunar eclipse photographed by Iain Petrie, Cambridgeshire Photo: Iain Petrie
It was the fourth since April 15 last year. The “tetrad” of blood moons led some fringe Christian groups to predict the end was nigh.
The Apocalypse did not take place and the world survived.
Nobody appears to be predicting such dire results from the festive full moon, although it might mean that the services of Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer will not be required.
Source : www.telegraph.co.uk
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