#inomn

Weather permitting, you can observe the Moon most nights, unless it's a new moon, when the lighted side of the Moon faces away from Earth. The Moon is by far the brightest object in the night sky and there's plenty to see. But this week is special...

...October 28 is International Observe the Moon Night (also known as InOMN).

Here's all you need to know to join in and celebrate:

1. One Planet. One Moon. One Night.

Everyone on Earth is invited to join the celebration by hosting or attending an InOMN event and uniting on one day each year to look at and learn about the Moon together.

2. What's Up?

October's night skies are full of sights, from the first quarter Moon on InOMN to Saturn making a cameo appearance above the Moon October 23 and 24. Watch our What's Up video for details.

3. Be Social

Hundreds of events are planned around the globe. Click the top link on this page for a handy map. You can also register your own event.

4. Don't Just Stand There

Here are some activities for enhanced Moon watching.

5. Impress Your Friends with Moon Knowledge

Download InOMN flyers and handouts, Moon maps and even some pre-made presentations. There's even a certificate to mark your participation.

6. Guide to the Face of the Moon

Almost dead center on the Earth-facing side of the Moon is the Surveyor 6 robotic spacecraft impact side. Apollo 12 and 14 are a bit to the left. And Apollo 11 - the first steps on the moon - are to the right. This retro graphic tells the whole story.

7. Moon Shots

NASA photographers have done some exceptional work capturing views of the Moon from Earth. Here are a few galleries:

You can't have a solar eclipse without the Moon.

The 2016 "Supermoon" was pretty spectacular.

The Moon gets eclipsed, too.

That IS a Moon - AND the International Space Station.

The Moon is always a great photo subject.

Some spooky shots of the 2014 "Supermoon."

And 2013.

Tips from a NASA pro for photographing the Moon.

8. Walking on the Moon

Twelve human beings walked on the face of the Moon. Here are some of the best shots from the Apollo program.

9. Moon Watch

Our Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is up there right now, mapping the moon and capturing some spectacular high-resolution shots.

10. Keep Exploring

Make our Moon portal your base for further lunar exploration.

Check out the full version of ‘Ten Things to Know This Week’ HERE.

Photo credit: Jim Hendrickson

Saturday, 28th October, is International Observe The Moon Night! This annual event encourages people to get outside in the early evening and take a gander at Earth’s nearest neighbor in space. Here’s how the Moon will look this evening, using the Scientific Visualization Studio's Dial-a-Moon online app: 

Here are a few things to notice about the Moon if you view it through binoculars or a telescope. First, the Moon is in the waxing gibbous phase tonight, between first quarter and full. This means it is a little more than one-fourth the way along its orbit, taking the start to be when the Moon is “new” (seen roughly in the direction of the Sun in the sky). The vertical line running down the middle of the Moon’s disk is the terminator, representing where the Sun is just coming up over the horizon on the Moon. Terrain is seen is sharpest relief near the line, since shadows cast by tall objects tend to be longest there. 

Look for the lunar “seas”: the dark spots that form the familiar “Man in the Moon” pattern are remnants of giant impact basins that were filled in by lava early in the Moon’s history. Some of these are ringed by tall mountains, forming the rims of craters hundreds of miles across. And of course, much of the Moon’s ancient “southern highlands” terrain is covered in countless impact craters. These preserve a record of billions of years of lunar history shaped by the rain of comets and asteroids from above. Also, look for subtle shades of color on the lunar surface -- they’re real!

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter true-color image of the Moon.

If you don’t have access to a telescope or a pair of binoculars, there is still plenty to see with just your own eyes. And don’t forget the Earth around you. How bright is moonlight? We still don’t quite know exactly. Look at how the illumination changes in the evening, as the glow of twilight fades in the west and the Moon becomes the dominant source of light in the night sky. Some animals are more active at night when the moon is brightest.

Lastly, think about the human element. How do people relate to the Moon? Are they more or less likely to notice it during some parts of the lunar cycle? Consider, too, that we may owe our very existence to the fact that the Earth has a large moon at all. 

Star Cocktail

1 oz Calvados, 1 oz sweet vermouth, 1 dash orange bitters, stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with cherry.

Today is Fall Astronomy Day, AND International Observe the Moon Night!  Those don’t often coincide, so whip up a Star Cocktail, go outside, and observe some heavenly bodies!