Moon takes center stage in the DC area and beyond Saturday night

In the D.C. region, there are 18 InOMN events being held. The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, have live InOMN events. Check here for livestreams.

International Observe the Moon Night is sponsored by Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and the Solar System Exploration Division of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, with support from many partners.

As stated on NASA’s InOMN webpage, the goals of International Observe the Moon Night aim to:

• Unite people worldwide through science
• Offer information on NASA’s lunar science and exploration programs
• Empower people to learn more about space exploration, “using Earth’s moon as an accessible entry point”
• Invite people to share moon-inspired stories, art and more, and
• Inspire “continued observation of the moon, the sky, and the world around us”

Get out and ponder the moon — humanity is headed back to stay this time. NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket launched the successful Artemis I mission testing out NASA’s new crewed spacecraft Orion beyond the moon on a three-week flight.

NASA is gearing up for a September 2025 launch of Artemis II — a crewed 10-day lunar mission flyby.

Speaking of the moon, next week it will undergo a partial eclipse. Stick with WTOP for details on Monday.

Follow Greg Redfern on Facebook, X and his daily blog to keep up with the latest news in astronomy and space exploration.

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