Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]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
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                             The Long Night Moon
    Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Giorgia Hofer and [5]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 [6]last Full
   Moon of 2024. This Full Moon was also at a [7]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 [8]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
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    Authors & editors: [20]Robert Nemiroff ([21]MTU) & [22]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([23]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [24]Specific rights apply.
              [25]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [26]ASD at [27]NASA / [28]GSFC,
                         [29]NASA Science Activation
                           & [30]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2412/CoronaLunareRevdgpicc.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.giorgiahoferphotography.com/
   5. https://www.dariogiannobile.com/
   6. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/skywatching/the-next-full-moon-is-the-cold-moon-frost-moon-or-winter-moon/
   7. https://www.timeanddate.com/news/astronomy/lunar-standstill-2024-2025
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240629.html
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241219.html
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  13. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  18. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=241220
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241221.html
  20. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  21. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  22. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  23. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  25. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  26. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  27. https://www.nasa.gov/
  28. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  29. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  30. http://www.mtu.edu/