The public is invited to celebrate International Observe the Moon Night on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 6 to 9 p.m. EDT rain or shine at NASA Goddard’s Visitor Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

International Observe the Moon Night is a time to come together with fellow Moon enthusiasts and curious people around the world. The public is invited to learn about lunar science and exploration, take part in celestial observations, and honor cultural and personal connections to the Moon.

During the Goddard event, attendees will be able to participate in a variety of interactive hands-on activities, including making your own eclipse art, exploring rocks from Earth and space, recreating the Moon’s phases with cookies, designing your own lunar lander, and much more! We’ll also have a photo booth, Moon-themed presentations, and lunar and astronomical observing with telescopes. 

International Observe the Moon Night occurs annually in September or October, when the Moon is around first quarter – a great phase for evening observing. A first-quarter Moon offers excellent viewing opportunities along the terminator (the line between night and day), where shadows enhance the Moon’s cratered landscape.

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 Goddard for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

No registration is needed.

To participate in International Observe the Moon Night from wherever you may be, check out our official NASA TV broadcast at 7- 8 p.m. EDT here:

https://moon.nasa.gov/observe-the-moon-night/participate/live-streams/

For directions to the Goddard Visitor Center, go to:

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/visitor/directions/index.html

To learn more about the program, visit:

https://moon.nasa.gov/observe-the-moon-night/

For more information about LRO, visit:

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/lro

Nancy Neal Jones
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Nancy.N.Jones@nasa.gov