Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Tonight is a special night. Tonight we celebrate our closest celestial neighbor - the Moon: The International Observe the Moon Night.

I remember, as a child, I would beg mum and dad to let me go out into the back yard and observe the Moon and entire Milky Way. Armed with a pair of binoculars (didn't help much, but still...), I would lay sprawled across the lawn, listening to the cicadas, counting the number of stars and imagining how amazing it must be to be an astronaut!

Tonight, you can do that with your kids and awaken their fascination with the Moon!

The Moon's birth is somewhat of a mystery. It is said to be 4-4.5 billion years old and scientists suggest that it could have formed as a result of a collision between the Earth and another planet.

It is the second brightest celestial object, after the Sun and it is key to forming, shaping and creating the world as we know it today! Can you imagine our world without the Moon? Nights would be darker, tides would be fewer and even the Earth's axial tilt would be effected. Oh, and we wouldn't be able to observe any eclipses!

The Moon has been mankind's companion since the beginning: It has helped us keep track of time and has captured the imagination of astronomers, philosophers and dreamers! In ancient times it was also worshipped as a god!

So why not capture the imagination of your youngster's tonight? Set out on an outdoors adventure to discover the beauty of the Moon! Good luck, astronomers! :)