As we left Columbia this morning, the full moon gleamed from the western sky. It was easy to imagine that the bright orb was much closer than the Colorado Front Range, which we wouldn't reach until evening; in fact, it would take us 300 days to cover the distance to Earth's natural satellite.
December's full moon is known as the Cold Moon since it appears during the first meteorologic month of winter. However, the sunlit surface of the moon is anything but cold, reaching 260 degrees F due to the lack of an atmosphere; on the other hand, the temperature in deep craters on the dark side of the moon is thought to plummet as low as minus 450 degrees F (quite cold).
Of course, gazing at the disc of our familiar nightlight, we do not need nor do we seek such statistics. We are taken by her beauty and reassured by her permanence, even if she is drifting farther from our home.
