Rare full moon with occur on Christmas Day this year
For the first time in decades, the last full moon of 2015 will occur on Christmas day this year. Also known as a Full Cold Moon, as our Northern hemisphere neighbours experience the phenomenon in the winter, the full moon will reach its peak at 6:11am EST.
The astronomical event is called apogee, and occurs when the moon reaches its furthest orbit from Earth, at over 407,000 kilometres away. It has not occurred since 1977, and this year, the moon is also said to be the smallest it’s been since 2004.
NASA have announced the moon will be bright enough to cast shadows. It should be clearly visible through a telescope or binoculars if weather permits.
“As we look at the moon on such an occasion, it's worth remembering that the moon is more than just a celestial neighbour," says NASA’s John Keller. "The geologic history of the moon and Earth are intimately tied together such that the Earth would be a dramatically different planet without the moon."
NASA forecast Christmas and the final full moon won’t coincide again until 2034, so be sure to catch this beautiful natural phenomenon while it lasts!
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