Santa Claus is coming to town, and you can catch him!
With its annual Santa Tracker, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is easing the anticipation of youngsters around the world as they excitedly await the arrival of Santa Claus on Christmas morning.
Santa Claus poses at his office near Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland, on December 2, 2019. - Rovaniemi's Santa Claus Village amusement park is a snow-covered wonderland of reindeer rides, ice castles, souvenir shops, snowmobiles and igloo hotels where Christmas holds sway 365 days a year. But Lapland is also the homeland of the indigenous reindeer-herding Sami people, who protest that some in the tourist industry spread offensive stereotypes about Sami people and seek to profit from their ancient culture.
About NORAD
NORAD is a combined agency of the United States and Canada responsible for monitoring aerial objects and defending North America against potential aerial dangers.
The NORAD team tracks Santa Claus and his reindeer each Christmas as they deliver joy to kids who celebrate Christmas worldwide using its North Warning Equipment radar system and early warning satellites.
NORAD starts following Santa as soon as he takes off in his sleigh drawn by his eight renowned reindeer. The NORAD Santa Tracker will start pursuing Santa this year at 6:00 a.m. EST (0900 GMT) on Saturday, Dec. 24.
The agency has been publishing the Santa Tracker every Christmas since 1995, when the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), the forerunner of NORAD, started providing an update on Santa Claus's journey.
Since 1955, when the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), the forerunner of NORAD, started providing updates on St. Nick's journey, NORAD has been publishing the Santa Tracker.
"The NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center is fully operational beginning at 4:00 a.m. MST on December 24th," the trackers said on their official website.
"You can call 1 877 HI-NORAD (1 877 446-6723) to talk directly to a NORAD staff member who will be able to tell you Santa's exact location. Operators are available until midnight."
Santa Tracker Initiative
Each year, more than 1,250 NORAD employees participate in the Santa Tracker initiative by taking calls and responding to emails regarding Santa's whereabouts.
Simulation software created by AGI/Ansys powers the NORAD Santa Tracker. According to Adam Gorski, an aeronautical engineer with Ansys Government Initiatives, NORAD can deliver the most precise Santa Claus tracking information conceivable thanks to the simulation program.
The NORAD Santa Tracker website also provides technical details about Santa's sleigh, such as its top speed of "faster than starlight" and the fact that its emissions are still unknown.
Santa's magnificent plane weighs 75,000 gumdrops at takeoff and has dimensions of 75 by 40 by 55 candy canes (150 by 80 by 110 lollipops), according to NORAD. Santa Claus weighs 260 pounds (118 kilograms) when it takes off and 1,260 pounds (571 kg) when it lands.
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