Here on the Night Sky Tourist website as well as the Night Sky Tourist podcast, we are claiming 2021 as our Year of the Moon.
After the Sun, nothing plays as big of a role in our cosmic awareness as the Moon. Whether it serves us on a romantic evening or is a harbinger for werewolves in our urban myths, the Moon is an ever-present companion. Yet few people today really know much about this nearby neighbor, how it moves through space, its geographical features, or its influence over life on Earth.
Over the next twelve months, we are going to make time to get to know this beautiful, silvery sphere that is close enough for us to see its mountains and seas.
MOON PHASES
If you’ve never understood how the Moon phases worked, this is the year for you to find out. We’ll learn how the Moon moves around the Earth and how that movement gives us a different view of its reflected light from one night to the next. We’ll also learn why we only see the same side of the Moon every single night.
SPECIAL LUNAR EVENTS
What causes a lunar eclipse? What causes a solar eclipse? We’re going to learn about the circumstances that produce what we call Blood Moons and Blue Moons. We’ll learn why some ancient cultures thought that these occasional events were omens and how they reacted to them.
LUNAR GEOGRAPHY
The Moon is not a smooth surface, and it’s pretty easy to recognize that with the naked eye. There are enormous, dark, lava-filled seas, mountain ridges and peaks, and pocked craters from meteors large and small. Each reveals something about the geographical past of this silent, elegant sphere.
MYTHS AND LORE
Who doesn’t love a good fairytale? Ancient literature all the way up to modern literature and songs are filled with imaginative stories about the Moon and the other cosmic bodies. We’ll explore some of these throughout the year for the sheer pleasure of it.
To help you track the Moon throughout this adventure this year, you can DOWNLOAD OUR 2021 MOON CALENDAR. Let’s have a fun adventure together.
