International Observe the Moon Night

Please join members of Skyscrapers, Inc. at Seagrave Memorial Observatory on Saturday, September 22, from 7-10pm, as we celebrate the 3rd Annual “International Observe the Moon Night.”

Not only will the society’s main telescopes be focused on the first quarter Moon, but also our members will provide great views of our desolate neighbor through their personal instruments as well.

DownloadMoon Map for September 22/23

If you haven’t observed the Moon with great optics and a steady mount before, then this evening of lunar observing will certainly take your breath away. The first quarter phase is an ideal time to see a lot of detail on the Moon’s surface, especially near the terminator (the “line” that delineates the sunlit moonscape from the unlit portion). At that time, if you were standing anywhere along the terminator, the sun would be rising. This scenario creates long shadows, thereby revealing much crater and lunar mountain details.

One phenomenon to especially look for occurs near the terminator. Mountain tops and crater rims will catch the first rays of sunlight, while the landscape surrounding them will remain in darkness.

Please visit the Skyscrapers website for further information as September 22 nears. This special observing program will be held weather permitting.

If you’d like to prepare yourself for this viewing experience, you can read two articles up on the Skyscrapers website. One explains the reason for the phases of the moon, and another describes lunar features that are prominent during the first quarter phase.

We hope you can join Skyscrapers as we celebrate this year’s “International Observe the Moon” event.