Santa Radar
From LoveToKnow Christmas
Children can be excited and anxious on Christmas Eve as they await the arrival of Santa Claus, and watching Santa radar is a fun way for families to spend time together on a very special holiday night.
A High Tech World
For generations, parents have been tracking the visits of Santa Claus by hearing sleigh bells, spotting a red nose in the sky, or otherwise interpreting signs of the jolly old elf’s approach. Today’s world is more high tech, however, and sophisticated equipment and communications devices have led to specialized radar that tracks movements from the North Pole and can be a fun family tradition every Christmas.
The Santa Radar Story
Santa hasn’t always been tracked by radar, ostensibly because of his magical powers and the incredible speed that allows him to deliver gifts all over the world on a single night.
In 1955, however, Santa first appeared as a blip on radar screens when an advertisement for Sears Roebuck & Co. in Colorado Springs, Colorado, published a telephone number that children could call and speak to Santa. Unfortunately, the published number was incorrect and led instead to the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), the predecessor of the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD). When hundreds of calls flooded the CONAD operations center, the organization initiated Santa radar in the spirit of holiday cheer.
How the Radar Works
While NORAD’s operations are normally classified, details about Santa tracking have been shared. Santa’s whereabouts are tracked by a sophisticated series of satellite tracking stations and interactive radar beacons that focus on Rudolph’s intensely bright nose. Santa Cams are also in position along the likely sleigh route, and snapshots of Santa’s journey are published online as soon as they are available all throughout Christmas Eve.
Tracking the reindeer and sleigh begins at 2:00 a.m. Mountain Time as Santa first leaves the North Pole, and position reports come in from around the world as he makes his carefully scheduled journey delivering toys.
In North America, both Canadian and United States fighter jets are scrambled to welcome and escort Santa into the sovereign national airspace, and some of those jets are equipped with additional Santa Cams. Over the years, more military escorts have been necessary as Santa must cross restricted airspace in order to keep his demanding schedule, but military forces have always been cooperative with Mr. Claus.
More than 600 volunteers, in addition to regular military personnel, staff Santa radar tracking operations. Over the course of the holiday season, they field more than 55,000 telephone calls and 100,000 emails about Santa’s whereabouts. Because Santa’s journey is an international one, radar reports are available in many languages, including English, French, German, Italian, and Japanese.
Watching Radar Reports
Families can tune in to Santa radar online via NORADSanta.org beginning in early December for projections and updates. Many local news stations will also carry personalized updates and radar reports on Christmas Eve, as will some radio stations. The NORAD tracker is also available as a mobile phone application.
More Radar Tips
Families who want to keep up with Santa’s progress around the world online should be sure they are visiting only the official website to avoid potentially dangerous or destructive websites and unofficial applications that may not be family friendly.
Updated computer security software is recommended, and a high speed internet connection is best for frequent updates when the website is most popular. When passing the time between radar updates and Santa Cam snapshots, families can find Christmas games to play online or send free email Christmas cards to friends and relatives.
Taking advantage of Santa radar is a fun and high-tech way families can enjoy Christmas Eve safely and comfortably. With frequent updates, maps, and pictures, modern technology has made it easier than ever to track Santa as he makes his annual journey around the world.
Learn More
This page has been accessed 38 times. This page was last modified 12:29, 31 October 2009.
© 2006-2009 LoveToKnow Corp.
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