Great information you can share with your kids, grandkids, great-grandkids. I get to start over with my first grand-baby who is 11 weeks old. Hope you enjoy, check out Santa’s whereabouts several times today and tonight and MERRY CHRISTMAS from Savannah Georgia.
I called the toll free number (877 446-6723) to make sure it worked, and talked (live) to Terri and she told me that Santa is over Fuji, Japan and should be in Savannah between 9-12 PM tonight. She asked me to call back often this afternoon and tonight. Our service personnel volunteer and do so many things that we don’t even think about while defending our freedoms. I thanked her for volunteering and asked her to be safe and wished her a MERRY CHRISTMAS.
http://www.noradsanta.org/en/index.html
Why NORAD tracks Santa
For more than 50 years, NORAD has tracked Santa’s flight. The tradition began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement for children to call Santa misprinted the telephone number. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief’s operations "hotline." The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born.
How NORAD tracks Santa
NORAD uses four high-tech systems to track Santa – radar, satellites, Santa cams and fighter jets. Tracking Santa starts with the NORAD radar system called the North Warning System. This powerful radar system consists of 47 installations strung across the northern border of North America. On December 24th, NORAD monitors the radar systems continuously for indications that Santa Claus has left the North Pole.
The moment that radar indicates Santa has lifted off, we use our second detection system. Satellites positioned in geo-synchronous orbit at 22,300 miles from the Earth’s surface are equipped with infrared sensors, which enable them to detect heat. Amazingly, Rudolph’s bright red nose gives off an infrared signature, which allows our satellites to detect Rudolph and Santa.
The third tracking system is the Santa cam network. We began using it in 1998, which is the year we put our Santa Tracking program on the internet. Santa cams are ultra-cool, high-tech, high-speed digital cameras that are pre-positioned at many locations around the world. NORAD only uses these cameras once a year. The cameras capture images and videos of Santa and his reindeer as they make their journey around the world.
The fourth system is made up of fighter jets. Canadian NORAD fighter pilots flying the CF-18 intercept and welcome Santa to North America. In the United States, American NORAD fighter pilots in either the F-15, F-16 or the F-22 get the thrill of flying alongside Santa and his famous reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and, of course, Rudolph.
Once data is collected on December 24th, it is then pushed into the Google Maps and Google Earth so that families all over the world can also follow Santa.
Holiday Video Messages from Around the World
This year the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and its cooperating organizations invited students and troop members from around the world to submit a video highlighting their area of the globe. Thank you to all who contributed to this effort! Watch the videos below and take a journey around the globe – you may even see someone you know.
Is Santa Real?
Based on historical data and more than 50 years of NORAD tracking information, we believe that Santa Claus is alive and well in the hearts of children throughout the world.
Santa Claus is known by many names, including Saint Nick. Historians claim that the history of Santa starts with the tradition of Saint Nicholas, a 4th century Christian priest who lived in the Middle East in an area of present-day Turkey who became famous for his kindness. He was known for giving gifts to the less fortunate, sprinkling gifts of gold down people's chimneys and hiding surprises in their stockings.
It may be that the Santa we know today emerged from the legacy of Saint Nicholas. Clearly, Santa's basic approach to gift giving is strikingly similar. Could they be the same person? Only Santa Claus knows for sure.
Long before the Wright brothers flew the first airplane or the Montgolfier brothers launched the first hot air balloon, Santa had to find a way to travel from house to house at great speed. We know from our Santa cam images that Santa’s choice for quick transportation was a herd of flying reindeer. Detailed information on these reindeer remains elusive; however, we do know, that Santa enlisted the reindeer to help him with his worldwide mission of gift-giving. A veil of sweet mystery hides the rest.
Virginia’s letter, written in December 1897, is the most famous example of a child wanting to know about Santa.
Sample FAQ
I would like to talk to someone at NORAD to find out where Santa is located. Is there a number I can call?
Yes! The NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center is fully operational beginning at 4 a.m. MST on December 24th. You can call 877 HI-NORAD (877 446-6723) to talk directly to a NORAD staff member who will be able to tell you Santa’s exact location – any time throughout the day!
How many people support this effort, and are they active duty military personnel?
More than 1,250 Canadian and American uniformed personnel, and DOD civilians volunteer their time on December 24th to answer the thousands of phone calls and emails that flood in from around the world. In addition to the support provided by our corporate contributors to make this program possible, NORAD has one lead project officer who manages the program.
How much money is spent on this project?
The NORAD Tracks Santa program is made possible by military and Department of Defense volunteers and through the generous support of corporate contributors who cover virtually all of the costs.
Can I send an email to NORAD to find out where Santa is located?
Yes! On December 24th, you can send an email to
[email protected] A NORAD staff member will give you Santa’s last known location in a return email. You can also track Santa on your mobile phoneby searching for ‘Santa’ on Google Maps for mobile or downloading the NORAD Tracks Santa app.
What does Santa look like?
Based on flight profile data gathered from over 50 years of NORAD’s radar and satellite tracking, NORAD concludes that Santa probably stands about 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs approximately 260 pounds (before cookies). Based on fighter-aircraft photos, we know he has a generous girth (belly), rosy cheeks from sleigh riding in cold weather, and a flowing white beard.
How old is Santa?
It’s hard to know for sure, but NORAD intelligence indicates Santa is AT LEAST 16 centuries old.
When will Santa arrive at my house?
NORAD tracks Santa, but only Santa knows his route, which means we cannot predict where and when he will arrive at your house. We do, however, know from history that it appears he arrives only when children are asleep! In most countries, it seems Santa arrives between 9:00 p.m. and midnight on December 24th. If children are still awake when Santa arrives, he moves on to other houses. He returns later … but only when the children are asleep.
