Come Celebrate International Observe the Moon Night

GREENBELT, Md., Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. will host a free evening event at its Visitor Center on Saturday, Sept. 18 from 6:30 –10 p.m. EDT to celebrate the 2010 International Observe the Moon Night and the science results returned from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission, which was built by NASA Goddard.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

Agenda for the International Observe the Moon Night

(Hands-on activities and moon observations from 6:45 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.)

6:30 p.m. - Welcome and introduction

6:45 p.m. - Remote presentation by scientist from Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston

6:45 p.m. - Science On a Sphere shows every 15 minutes, hands-on activities begin for public

7:00 p.m. - Laser ranging tours begin and run every half hour, moon observation with amateur astronomers begins

7:30 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. - Presentation by lunar scientist, Noah Petro from Goddard

8:30 p.m. - 9:15 p.m. - Presentation by lunar scientist, Brent Garry from the National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian Institute, Washington

9:15 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. – Hands-on activities, Moon observation with amateur astronomers

Visitors will learn why the Moon goes through phases, how it came to look like it does today, and what we've discovered from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft, which is in orbit about 30 miles above the Moon's surface.

Weather permitting, visitors can see the Moon and stars using telescopes during a special star gazing party and can go on a short bus tour to the laser ranging facility where engineers track the LRO satellite. Laser ranging facility tours are open to the first 100 people on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive at 6:30 p.m. to ensure your space!

A number of hands-on activities for elementary and middle school students and their families will provide knowledge and understanding of the phases of the Moon, crater creation, and the topography of the Moon. Visitors can view new images from the camera aboard LRO, check out short movies on the Science On a Sphere dome and interact with lunar experts.

The LRO mission, built and managed by NASA Goddard, launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. on June 18, 2009. LRO reached lunar orbit on June 23, 2009.

For more information on International Observe the Moon Night, visit:

http://observethemoonnight.org/

For directions to the Goddard Visitor Center:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/visitor/directions/index.html

For more information about LRO, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/lro

SOURCE NASA