Tonight the last full moon of the year will reach
peak illumination at 11:37 pm (EST).
According to the folks at the Old Farmer's Almanac,
December's moon is a "Micromoon" which is the opposite
of a "Supermoon". This means that tonight's moon is
at its farthest point from the earth.
In astronomical terms, this is called its "apogee".
Specifically, December's Micro Full Moon is about
252,000 miles from Earth.
In the tradition of my Cherokee ancestors, this
month's full moon is called the "Snow Moon".
It is also called the Christmas Moon.
I like days
with a snow white collar,
and nights when the moon
is a silver dollar.
And hills are filled
with eiderdown stuffing
and your breath makes smoke
like an engine puffing.
I like days
when feathers are snowing,
and all the eaves
have petticoats showing,
and the air is cold,
and the wires are humming,
but you feel all warm...
with Christmas coming!
"December"
(1946)
Aileen Fisher
(1906-2002)
American writer and poetess
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