“The winter solstice, falling on December 21, 2018, will mark the shortest day of the year as well as a full moon in the night sky. The upcoming full moon named the Cold Moon or the Long Night Moon will be visible during the longest night of the year.”
A solstice and full moon together hasn’t happened since 2010!
The 2018 winter solstice will be accompanied by what NASA notes as the Cold Moon or the Long Night Moon. The names originate from the Native Americans, who marked December’s full Moon as the beginning of the coldest part of the year. Also, the Long Night Moon is named after the longest night of the year on the winter solstice.
How often do these events coincide, where the winter solstice is adorned by a full moon? The last time it occurred was in 2010 and the next event will not be until 2094. On December 21 you will also be able to see Mercury and Jupiter in conjunction in the long night sky. On top of all that, the Ursid meteor shower will peak on the nights of December 21 and 22, adding shooting starts to the mix. Read the full article here…..
Published in Forbes on 12.08.18 by Trevor Nace . Treavor is a PhD geologist, founder of Science Trends, Forbes contributor, and explorer. Follow his journey @trevornace.
No matter what your plan is to celebrate and honor the winter Solstice, be sure to look up! Happy Solstice! ~Shine Your Light Debbie
