Tonight Is International Observe The Moon Night

NASA is reminding people that tonight is International Observe the Moon Night. The special day happens on September 26, 2020, and moon enthusiasts and stargazers worldwide can come together to celebrate. NASA's inviting everyone on Earth to learn about lunar science and exploration and participate in celestial observations.

The agency also wants to honor cultural and personal connections to the moon during the special night. International Observe the Moon Night occurs annually in September or October when the moon is around the first quarter, a great moon phase for evening observations.

NASA is inviting people to join the observations wherever they are and to attend or host a virtual or in-person event. The agency is particularly wanting people to spend time observing the moon from home. NASA is wanting to get people around the world excited about moon observations and exploration as it gears up for its Artemis mission set to send humans back to the moon a few years from now.

Those who do spend time making observations of the moon tonight are being urged by NASA to connect with fellow lunar enthusiasts worldwide via the NASA Facebook page using the hashtag #ObserveTheMoon. The same hashtag can be used on any social media platform to share the excitement online.

NASA put together an interesting video showing some close-up observations of the moon that can be seen above. The official NASA event will last six hours and kicks off tonight between 5:30 and 11:30 PM EDT or 2:30 and 8:30 PM PDT. NASA is inviting fans to its website nasa.gov/NASATV. Anyone looking for something to do should spend some time in the backyard enjoying the moon with the naked eye, binoculars, or a telescope.