From MSN:
"NORAD Santa Tracker - How to follow Santa's journey on Christmas Eve "
On Christmas Eve, you can follow Father Christmas on his incredible journey around the world using a special interactive tool called the NORAD Santa Tracker. Santa will travel about 510 million kilometers during that one night as he delivers presents to children across the globe. Volunteers will also be taking around 70,000 calls from children in 200 countries who phone up asking where Santa is. You could also get a separate glimpse of Santa whizzing past as the International Space Station goes overhead in our skies. The space station has been visible over the UK several times this month as a fast-moving white dot and will next be seen at 7.20am on December 26, so you could show the kids and point out it's probably Santa heading back to the North Pole. The NORAD tracker is an entirely different way to follow the bearded man in the red suit, in the form of an online tool or phone app. His epic night of household visits on Christmas Eve is tracked by NORAD - the air forces tasked with defending US airspace - on a map that includes a running total of the gifts delivered. It has done this since 1955 when an advert encouraged children to telephone Father Christmas – but gave the wrong number. When Colonel Harry Shoup realised what had happened, he quickly told his staff to check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south of the North Pole and give the children who called updates on his current position.
How NORAD tracks Santa
Radar
The powerful NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) North Warning System has 47 installations across northern Canada and Alaska. NORAD checks the radar closely for indications of Santa Claus leaving the North Pole and tracks him using the same satellites used in providing air warning of possible missile launches.
Satellites
These satellites are located 22,300 miles above the earth and have infrared sensors, meaning they can see heat. Rudolph’s bright red nose gives off an infrared signature so the satellites detect it with no problem.
SantaCams
NORAD SantaCams are ultra-cool, hi-tech, high-speed digital cameras positioned at many places around the world. NORAD only uses these cameras once a year – on December 24.The cameras are turned on about one hour before Santa enters a country then switched off after capturing images of him and the reindeer. The images and videos are then downloaded onto the NORAD website for people around the world to see.
NORAD also says you can phone its call centre on 00-1-719-556-5211.
A staff member will reply and provide details of Santa's last known location - and also encourage your children to go to bed.
^ I have used the NORAD Santa Tracker for as long as I can remember - whether I lived in the US or around the world. Of course I didn't always get to use the Internet or social media links as you can today. But nowadays I use their website at the following link to track his progress around the world. https://www.noradsanta.org/ ^
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