Editor's note: This article was originally posted on Dec. 24, 2011. We’re posting it again, with some updates, so you can follow Santa’s journey again this year!

Has Santa left the North Pole yet? When will he get here?

No need to check the skies of Brecksville to see if the Jolly Old Elf is on his way.

You can find out at NORAD Tracks Santa, a website that keeps tabs on Santa's progress with official military tracking equipment.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) usually uses its high-tech tracking powers to watch for air and missile attacks.

But on Christmas Eve, the government agency adds Santa tracking to its list of duties.

It uses four high-tech systems to track Santa – radar, satellites, Santa cams and fighter jets. It's technical, so check out the site for the official explanation.

Update, Dec. 20, 2012: 

Don't forget: the NORAD page has apps, too, so you can track Santa on the go.

And this year, Google has its own Santa Tracker, complete with a countdown and apps.