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First Christmas full moon in nearly 40 years starts tonight

Posted at 11:37 AM, Dec 24, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-24 13:37:11-05
By Michael Pearson

CNN

(CNN) — Santa’s sleigh won’t be the only object in the sky tonight.

A bright full moon, the first on Christmas since 1977, will also be on display, weather permitting.

But there’s nothing magical about this holiday light show, says CNN meteorologist Chad Myers. Just science.

“The moon cycles every 29.5 days, meaning every 29.5 days, there will be a full moon. … So, on average, every 29.5 years, a full moon will land on December 25,” he says.

“It just makes Santa’s job easier, and Rudolf can stay home,” Myers says.

The last time we had a full Christmas moon was in 1977.

If you want to see the moon, NASA says it will peak at 6:11 a.m. ET on Friday.

Enjoy the display while it lasts. The next Christmas full moon won’t come around until 2034, NASA says.

The-CNN-Wire
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