Last full moon of the decade lights up on 12/12 at 12:12
Our satellite will be in the middle of the solar spotlight at an interesting time to close out the 2010s.
- Finalist for the Nesta Tipping Point prize and a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
An aircraft taking off from Ronald Reagan National Airport is seen passing in front of the Moon as it rises, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017 in Washington.
Whatever you're doing when the sun sets next where you are, stop and take a look up at the moon, because it's probably the prettiest it's going to be for the rest of the decade.
The final full moon of the 2010s is set for Dec. 12, and if you want to get really precise about it, the moon will hit the point when it's 100 percent lit up by the sun from our vantage point here on Earth at 12:12 a.m. ET.
That's right, the moon goes full-on full at 12:12 on 12/12. It's the kind of crazy palindromic set of numbers that seem like they should mean something special. Of course, they don't mean anything special scientifically speaking, but I'll let you be the interpreters of meaning in your own lives.
What I can tell you scientifically is that there's good reason to go check out this last big bright moon of the 20-teens as close to sunset as possible. That's because the moon will be rising in the east around the same time the sun is setting in the west, no matter where you are in the world. This is because a full moon is defined by the moon and sun being on exact opposite sides of our planet.
Due to some funky tricks of perspective and the way light propagates through our atmosphere, this is also the time when the moon will appear the brightest and the most colorful.
If you're lucky, you might get a huge, orange-ish moon pointing the way towards 2020. If the weather's no good or you miss it, check back on Jan. 10, 2020.
Share your best moon shots with me on Twitter or Instagram @ericcmack.
