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 Christmas Eve,
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 allow our satellites to
detect Rudolph and Santa.
US and Canada flags
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 on Christmas Eve. 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 or
the F-16 get the thrill of flying alongside Santa and his famous
reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen
and, of course, Rudolph.
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He's in Canada already. Get ready, here he comes...
http://www.noradsanta.org/en/index.html
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JimB
The Ubuntu Counter Project - User# 28648
Are you on acid?
Jim
Just a cut and paste from the site. I suppose them fighter jets is to
blast wrong or non-religious types out of the freckin' way ;-)
Here's why they do it.....
http://www.noradsanta.org/en/whytrack.html