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                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2024 December 20

                             The Long Night Moon
   Image Credit & Copyright: Giorgia Hofer and Dario Giannobile (Pictores
                                   caeli)

   Explanation: On the night of December 15, the Full Moon was bright.
   Known to some as the Cold Moon or the Long Night Moon, it was the
   closest Full Moon to the northern winter solstice and the last Full
   Moon of 2024. This Full Moon was also at a major lunar standstill. A
   major lunar standstill is an extreme in the monthly north-south range
   of moonrise and moonset caused by the precession of the Moon's orbit
   over an 18.6 year cycle. As a result, the full lunar phase was near the
   Moon's northernmost moonrise (and moonset) along the horizon.
   December's Full Moon is rising in this stacked image, a composite of
   exposures recording the range of brightness visible to the eye on the
   northern winter night. Along with a colorful lunar corona and aircraft
   contrail this Long Night Moon shines in a cold sky above the rugged,
   snowy peaks of the Italian Dolomites.

                 Tomorrow's picture: major solar standstill
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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