International Observe the Moon Night 2019: Skywatching Livestreams

As NASA continues its push to land humans on the moon again in 2024, you can celebrate International Observe the Moon Night via two livestreams (if you can't catch the moon outside).

Astronomy broadcast service Slooh will showcase the first-quarter moon from its flagship observatory at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands, while the Virtual Telescope Project will display the moon over Rome.

The Slooh broadcast starts today (Oct. 5) at 4 p.m. EDT (2000 GMT). You can watch it here at Space.com, or Slooh members can also watch it directly on Slooh.com here. Slooh astronomer Paul Cox will host the broadcast along with a team of astronomical experts. Besides showcasing views of the moon through telescopes, the team will discuss how backyard observers can look at the moon, the history of mapping the moon, and even tips for photographing our celestial neighbor.

Related: Amazing Moon Photos from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

The moon over Huntsville, Alabama. (Image credit: NASA/MSFC/Joby Minor)

Earth's moon won't be the only moon on the Slooh broadcast. Slooh will also show the four "Galilean" moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto) of Jupiter, so-called because the astronomer Galileo Galilei was one of the first people to see these moons with a telescope in the early 1600s. (Contemporary astronomer Simon Marius likely discovered the moons independently, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.)

The Virtual Telescope Project will start broadcasting views of the moon from Rome at 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT) today. Astrophysicist Gianluca Masi, founder of the project, will provide live commentary, including discussing details of the lunar surface. Masi will point out the landing site of the Apollo 11 mission, which touched down on the moon 50 years ago this past summer. 

"The Virtual Telescope Project will offer a live, online observing session to show you our wonderful satellite, with the addition of the legendary skyline of Rome," Masi said in a statement. The telescope will be stationed at a historic church near Vatican City. You can view the broadcast here

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Elizabeth Howell
Staff Writer, Spaceflight

Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace