The Farmer’s Almanac calls December’s Full Moon ‘The Cold Moon”. It acknowledges traditions of Native American’s that are signatures of each month’s unique characteristics.

This month the moon will be at it’s fullest Wednesday night December 7th. To catch “The Cold Moon”, check the horizon just before sunset to watch it launch into this month’s spectacularly high trajectory.

Four days later, in contrast to the traditionally cold lunar launch, NASA expects the core component of the Artemis I lunar mission to make a hot splash-down off the toasty coast of San Diego.  On the 11th, there’ll be nothing traditional about this other cool December-sky show.

NASA says their spacecraft made it’s final pass of the moon 80 miles above the surface Monday.  After final lunar-selfies were taken, the engines fired to begin the re-entry sequence back to Earth.

Setting astro-milestones as the most powerful rocket ever to reach orbit, another challenge to this mission’s critical success remains above us. Next Sunday, heat-shields need to protect the lunar-orbiter from temperatures of about 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Drills have already begun off the coast of California to rehearse high-tech recovery skills.

 

 

As an essential part of the learning process this mission was designed to test capsule limits. So far the mission has exceeded expectations.

The next plan is to launch Artemis II as a mission that includes boots-on the moon by 2025. Unlike previous lunar-landings, this time the team of astronauts will include women.

STP~News shared this play-list just before  Artemis I Mission took-off this Fall. Turns our the tunes are just as much celestial fun for a traditional date with December’s  “Cold Moon” and even better for a hot re-entry this Sunday!

<< Download STP News Lunar Playlist >>

Across The Universe : The Beatles

Bad Moon Rising: Clearance Clearwater Revival

*Blue Moon : The Marcels

Born To Be Wild : Steppenwolf

Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft : The Carpenters

*Can’t Fight the Moonlight: LeAnn Rimes

Come Fly With Me : Frank Sinatra

**Cruel Moon: Buddy Miller

*Dancing In the Moonlight : King Harvest

*Dark Side of the Moon: Pink Floyd

Eight Miles High : The Byrds

Fly Away: Lenny Kravitz

Fly Me To The Moon: Frank Sinatra

*Gravity: Sara Barelles

*Harvest Moon: Neil Young

*It’s Only A Paper Moon : Nate King Cole

Leaving On A Jet Plane : John Denver

Man on The Moon : REM

Marvelous Night for  Moon Dance Van Morrison

Moon at the Window : Joni Mitchell

*Moon Dance : Van Marrison

*Moon Glow : Benny Goodman

Moonhead : Pink Floyd

Moon is Up : The Rolling Stones

Moonlight Feels Right: Starbuck

Moonlight Serenade: Glenn Miller

*Moon Over Bourbon Street :Sting

Moon Shadow : Cat Stevens

Moonlight Sonata : Ludwig van Beethoven

Moonlight in Vermont: Frank Sinatra

Moon River: Audrey Hepburn

Mr. Moonlight : The Beatles

Paper Moon:  Natalie Cole

Ride Like the Wind : Christopher Cross

**Rising of the Moon: The High Kings

Rocket Man : Elton John

Rocky : Bill Conti

**Shame On The Moon: Rodney Crowell

Space Cowboy : Jamiroquai

Space Cowboy : Cash and Maverick

Space Cowboy : Steve Miller

Space Cowboy:  Kacey Musgraves

Space Oddity : David Bowie

*Space Trucking’ Deep Purple

Spinning Wheel : David Clayton Thomas / Blood Sweat and Tears

*Spirit In The Sky: Norman Greenbaum

Start Me Up: Rolling Stones

Talking to The Moon: Bruno Mars

That’s Amore : Dean Martin

The Best Way To Travel: Moody Blues

The Moon’s a Harsh Mistress : Glen Campbell

*The Moon And The Stars: Sade

** The Whole Of the Moon : The Water Boys

*There’s a Moon Out Tonight: The Capris

Too Much Time On My Hands :Styks

*Total Eclipse of the Heart: Bonnie Tyler

*Walking On The Moon: The Police

*We’re All Made of Stars : Moby

*Wishing On A Star: Rose Royce

Space Clap & many thanks for single asterisk’ed content suggested by a man who’s always been out of this world *Mr. Robert Asci

Double asterisk suggestions were contributed by Deep Space Music Master **Clarke Cronin. Intergalactic kudos have been launched for sharing your magic

<< Download STP News Lunar Playlist >>