The story of the Moon is deeply connected to the story of our own planet. We’re sharing space – literally – with it, and everything we learn about the Moon helps us better understand the Earth and our place in the solar system. And many of us have a deeply personal connection to the Moon, says Andrea Jones, director of International Observe the Moon Night.
“Whenever we have an event, one of my favorite questions to ask is, ‘what is your favorite memory with the Moon in it?’ Everyone I’ve ever asked has an answer,” she says.
Joining Together to Celebrate the Moon
The idea for International Observe the Moon Night goes back to 2009, says Jones, who’s also the public-engagement lead of the solar system exploration division at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. That year, NASA launched two sister missions to the Moon: the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS). To celebrate, NASA Goddard and NASA Ames hosted events to commemorate the arrival of these spacecraft at the Moon.
“People were so excited about the events, far and beyond any expectations of what we thought people would be interested in,” says Jones. “Our teams were just like, we’ve got to do this again.”
The following year, the NASA teams planned on hosting a National Observe the Moon Night. But it quickly became clear – especially after conversations with global astronomy organization Astronomers Without Borders – that the event should be worldwide. Thus, the first-ever International Observe the Moon Night was born in 2010.
“In essence, it’s a day every year that we invite people to observe the Moon, to learn about the Moon and to celebrate our personal and cultural connections to the Moon,” says Jones. “That has been the case since day one, and it continues today.”
Last year, 500,000 people participated from all 50 states and over 120 countries, spanning all seven continents. The event saw more than 1,600 events, ranging from private single-family events to public events hosting tens of thousands of people.
“The event has expanded from something very small into something massive, but it still has the same heart,” says Jones. “It’s in communities and in people’s lives, as we’ve always wanted it to be.”