take a midnight stroll or ski this christmas eve for a view of a full moon shining down from the skies at a height which won’t be reached for another sixteen years. more astonishing will be mars, just to the west of the moon, which will be extraordinarily bright with a golden glow. the red planet’s shine is due to it being exactly lined up with the sun & earth, fairly near, and a full face lit up when viewed from earth.

. . . merry christmas and a glorious new year . . .