Participate in several of NASA’s virtual activities in celebration of International Observe the Moon Night on Saturday, Oct. 16. This celebration provides opportunities to learn about lunar science and exploration, observe celestial bodies, and honor personal and cultural connections to the Moon. The Moon will be a waxing gibbous on Saturday, offering great opportunities for viewing along the terminator – the line between night and day.
International Observe the Moon Night is on October 16, with public participation open through October 23.
How to participate:
- Watch the NASA TV Broadcast on Saturday, October 16, from 7:30 pm-8:30 p.m. EDT.
- Try one of the highlighted activities, including Bingo, artwork, and impact crater modeling.
- Share your photos and Moon artwork in the 2021 International Observe the Moon Flickr Group.
- Use the hashtag #ObserveTheMoon and tag @NASAGoddard in your photos on Instagram.
- Check out our @NASAGoddard social media accounts leading up to Oct. 16 for more #ObserveTheMoon content, including a video, trivia, and a Q&A session with a Moon expert.
- Register your participation to join the global community. This will add you to the map of lunar observers around the world to show everyone you are participating.
The Moon is a stepping stone to learning more about the solar system, galaxy, and universe. This year’s event shares the same date as the launch of the Lucy mission to explore the Trojan asteroids and help us better understand our solar system’s origins.
NASA has pursued lunar exploration for decades. Later this year, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will launch – the first in a series of missions that will send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon in the coming years with the Artemis program.
Refer to NASA’s Moon viewing guides to make the most of your observations:
For more information about International Observe the Moon Night, visit: https://moon.nasa.gov/observe
For more information about NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/lro
For more information about NASA’s Artemis program, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/
For more information about the Moon, visit: https://moon.nasa.gov
International Observe the Moon Night is sponsored by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission and the Solar System Exploration Division of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, with support from many partners. LRO is managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
For a local event, The Wilderness Center in Wilmot is also participating in International Observe the Moon Night on Saturday, October 16, 2021.
Participate in these events on October 16:
The First Steps Into the Future – Online program with Jeffrey Woytach, with the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center about returning astronauts to the Moon, 2 p.m.
International Observe the Moon Night – The Wilderness Center’s observatory will be open with multiple telescopes aimed at the moon to show you a variety of views, weather permitting, 7:30 p.m.
Registration required for events. More details and registration at wildernesscenter.org.
