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Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

CCLDAS hosts successful International Observe the Moon Night

September 18, 2010

(Courtesy CCLDAS)

CCLDAS, in conjuction with several other institutions world-wide, hosted a first annual local International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) in Boulder, Colorado, on Saturday, September 18, 2010. Members of the public stopped by to look at the Moon through telescopes and to learn about exciting new developments in lunar research.

InOMN is a public outreach event created to get the public interested in the Moon, give them a chance to look through telescopes , and see how exciting current lunar research can be. CCLDAS hosted an event in downtown Boulder at the Courthouse Lawn on the Pearl Street Mall. We had two homemade reflecting telescopes (with 15 inch and 17 inch primary mirrors) aimed at the Moon and at Jupiter, with the four Galilean moons in full view. At least 200 peopleĀ peered through the eyepieces, and for many, it was their first time looking at the Moon through a telescope. Small telescope building was available for kids, other hands-on activities were offered, and Kim Ennico of NASA Ames presented a short talk on the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing SatelliteĀ (LCROSS) mission.