Astronaut does the honors for Christmas lights

Paul Heymont 12/10/172:00 PM

What's claimed to be the world's largest Christmas light display was turned on from space by Italian Astronaut Paolo Nespolli last Thursday, sending the signal from the International Space Station.

After sending the signal for the 460 lights that form a tree shape on the side of Mount Ingino, above the town of Gubbio in central Italy, he told a radio audience "As beautiful as it is being in space, this evening I would have liked to have been there with you to enjoy the show."

The display, which takes 2,000 hours of volunteer work to set up, uses 8,500 meters of cable and is 650 meters high. Past lighters have included celebrities, and both Popes Benedict and Francis.

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