Members of the public are invited to celebrate International Observe the Moon Night on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 6:00 p.m. EDT rain or shine. The free event will be held at the NASA Goddard Visitor Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
International Observe the Moon Night is an annual worldwide public event that encourages observation, appreciation and understanding of our Moon and its connection to NASA planetary science and exploration. The event brings together scientists, educators and lunar enthusiasts from around the world. This year’s theme is eclipses. In August, viewers witnessed a solar eclipse, and a lunar eclipse will occur in January 2018.
The event at the Goddard Visitor Center will be held from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. EDT. The agenda includes:
- a lunar science presentation by Goddard’s Chief Scientist
- a “Women of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter” mission panel
- lunar and eclipse visualizations
- hands-on activities and exhibits
After dusk, the Goddard Astronomy Club will be in the Rocket Garden with telescopes, providing visitors with a guided tour of the Moon, planets and other celestial objects.
Visitors are encouraged to wear space-themed costumes, and children can collect space-themed treats at activity stations.
International Observe the Moon Night is sponsored by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission and 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.
No registration is needed.
For directions to the Goddard Visitor Center, go to: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/visitor/directions/
For more information about International Observe the Moon Night, visit: http://observethemoonnight.org
For more information about LRO, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/lro
For more information on the Moon, visit: http://moon.nasa.gov
Banner image: This Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter composite image shows the Moon as it will appear on the night of Oct. 28 – International Observe the Moon Night.
Credit: NASA/Goddard/LRO
Download a map of this view with lunar features labled: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/observe_the_moon_night/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/InOMN-217-Moon-Map-North.pdf
Nancy Neal Jones
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
Nancy.N.Jones@nasa.gov
301-286-0039