The fact that 'Star Wars' first hit the screen on the same year as the Christmas full moon in 1977 and the new 'Star Wars' productions under Disney's ownership released their first film on the same year as the new Christmas full moon this year is very largely coincidental, but the fact of the last full moon of 2015 coinciding with Christmas is pretty interesting. Before 1977, 1901 and 1920 had Christmas full moons. After 2015, the next two Christmas full moons will be in 2034 and in 2053.
Physics and astronomy associate professor David A. Weintraub at Vanderbilt University says of full moons: "In modern times, people don't look up too much. Most of us are inside watching television; we're not looking up outside at night. It's one of the few times of the month that people even notice there is something in the sky."
He also advises: "Get out there and enjoy it. And if there is snow on the ground, and it's Christmas, and you're in love, and you're holding hands walking down a sidewalk, it doesn't get much better."
Dan Malerbo, Carnegie Science Center's planetarium coordinator, recalls having hair during the last Christmas full moon in 1977.
NASA advises that the moon will be at 99 percent on Christmas Eve will be at EST 6:11 a.m. The National Weather Service, however, says that the full moon may be obscured by clouds and rain.
According to NASA, the full moon will reach its peak at 6:11 a.m. EST on Dec. 25. Not since 1977 has Christmas been brightened by a full moon, and it won't happen again until 2034.
The 2015 Christmas full moon is also called 'Full Cold Moon' to denote that it takes place in the beginning of winter. This year has in fact been an exciting year of lunar activities with September's Super Blood Moon eclipse, which is the last lunar eclipse of an also rare tetrad series.
John Keller of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center reminds: "As we look at the moon on such an occasion, it's worth remembering that the moon is more than just a celestial neighbor. 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."
