The full moon (tatkresiwok - Inuit) occurs when the Sun and the Moon are on exact opposite sides of the Earth every 29.53 days. This lunar phase is known by many different names, cultures, religions and languages, depending on the month it occurs. This early winter full moon occurs in December and is known as the Big Moon, Oak Moon, Cold Moon, or Long Night's Moon.
The full moon for the month of December is at its fullest at 9:50 AM on Saturday the 22nd
...and the sun sets at 4:48 PM and the moon rises at 4:50 PM.
This is just about the best night to view the moon at its fullest after it rises today! Come join us for a meet-n-greet in the evening and to watch the full moon rise over the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains.
The event begins at 4:30 PM and the event will officially end by 6:30 PM, but there may be some early birds and lingering about into the night.
Please do bring your bugs and coins for trading, discovering, or just to show them off. There are no food or beverage establishments nearby, but if it's a little chilly there's usually some hot cocoa, and at recent events people have brought snacks, "other" beverages, and (cold) pizza to share with all. On warm days, there are usually some cold beverages and the pizza stays hot! If you plan on bringing something to share, be sure to post it in a note. Please remember to dress appropriately for the temperature and weather conditions, as this event is outdoors and rain or shine. The terrain is mostly dirt shoulder/pullout parking so wheelchairs may find it difficult, but the location is suitable for handicapped viewing the full moon from a vehicle.
It is interesting to note that often, calendars indicating moon phases may be off by a day when intended for use in a different time zone. Don't be late or you just might miss out on this magical time as the sun sets and the full moon rises.
In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held at the Round Table Pizza in Claremont @ 598 E. Baseline Rd & Mills Ave. An announcement will be made in this case.
Today is...
- Armed Forces Day (Vietnam)
- Mother's Day (Indonesia)
- National Mathematics Day (India)
- Unity Day (Zimbabwe)
- Teacher's Day (Cuba)
On this day...
- 1808 – Ludwig van Beethoven conducts and performs in concert at the Theater an der Wien, Vienna, with the premiere of his Fifth Symphony, Sixth Symphony, Fourth Piano Concerto (performed by Beethoven himself) and Choral Fantasy (with Beethoven at the piano).
- 1891 – Asteroid 323 Brucia becomes the first asteroid discovered using photography.
- 1944 – During the Battle of the Bulge, German troops demand the surrender of United States troops at Bastogne, Belgium, prompting the famous one word reply by General Anthony McAuliffe: "Nuts!"
- 1964 – The first test flight of the SR-71 (Blackbird) took place at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.
- 1984 – Bernhard Goetz shoots four would-be muggers on an express train in Manhattan section of New York, New York.
- 1989 – Berlin's Brandenburg Gate re-opens after nearly 30 years, effectively ending the division of East and West Germany.
- 2010 – The repeal of the Don't ask, don't tell policy, the 17-year-old policy banning homosexuals serving openly in the United States military, is signed into law by President Barack Obama.
Notable births...
- 1799 – Nicholas Callan, Irish priest and physicist (d. 1864)
- 1856 – Frank B. Kellogg, American lawyer and politician, 45th United States Secretary of State, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1937)
- 1862 – Connie Mack, American baseball player and manager (d. 1956)
- 1901 – Andre Kostelanetz, Russian-American conductor and composer (d. 1980)
- 1912 - Lady Bird Johnson, American beautification activist; 38th First Lady of the United States (d. 2007)
- 1962 – Ralph Fiennes, English actor
- 1970 - Ted Cruz, American lawyer and politician
Notable deaths...
- 1880 – George Eliot, English novelist and poet (b. 1819)
- 1943 - Beatrix Potter, English children's book writer and illustrator (b. 1866)
- 1944 – Harry Langdon, American actor, comedian, and vaudevillian (b. 1884)
- 1969 - Enrique Peñaranda, 45th President of Bolivia (b. 1892)
- 1979 - Darryl F. Zanuck, American director and producer (b. 1902)
- 1989 – Samuel Beckett, Irish author, poet, and playwright, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1906)
- 1995 - Butterfly McQueen, American actress and dancer (b. 1911)
For future planning purposes:
Full Moon Dates for 2019
Sunday, January 20 at 9:17 PM
Tuesday, February 19 at 7:53 AM
Wednesday, March 20 at 6:43 PM
Friday, April 19 at 4:12 AM
Saturday, May 18 at 2:11 PM
Monday, June 17 at 1:31 AM
Tuesday, July 16 at 2:39 PM
Thursday, August 15 at 5:31 AM
Friday, September 13 at 9:35 PM
Sunday, October 13 at 2:10 PM
Tuesday, November 12 at 5:37 AM
Wednesday, December 11 at 9:14 PM