Members of the public are invited to celebrate International Observe the Moon Night on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 6:00 p.m. EDT. The free event will be held at the NASA Goddard Visitor Center on ICESat Road in Greenbelt, Maryland.

International Observe the Moon Night is an annual worldwide public event that encourages observation, appreciation and understanding of our moon and its connection to NASA planetary science and exploration. The annual event brings together scientists, educators and lunar enthusiasts from around the world.

The event at the Goddard Visitor Center will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. EDT and will include presentations, a viewing of NASA Goddard’s new music video “The Moon and More,” activities and exhibits. Visitors may also watch the premier of a new Science On a Sphere program, “Titan Tours,” featuring Saturn’s largest moon.

After the sun sets, head outside and catch a glimpse of the moon. The Goddard Astronomy Club will be in the Rocket Garden located next to the Visitor’s Center, with telescopes, and will provide a guided tour of the moon, planets and other celestial objects for visitors.

International Observe the Moon Night is sponsored by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission, NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, and the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas. LRO is managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

No registration is needed.

For directions to the Goddard Visitor Center, go to: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/visitor/directions/ 

For more information about International Observe the Moon Night, visit: http://observethemoonnight.org 

For more information about LRO, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/lro