Courtesy/SMNHC

SMNHC News:

The community is invited to celebrate International Observe the Moon Night from the Sandia Mountains, 7-9 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Sandia Mountain Natural History Center (SMNHC).

SMNHC is hosting this event associated with the international celebration, including a night sky observation.

International Observe the Moon Night brings the world together in studying and appreciating our beautiful natural satellite. For more information about the international celebration, visit moon.nasa.gov/observe-the-moon-night/.

Enjoy a stroll along the Center’s nature trails starting at 5 p.m. while it’s still light outside. As the sun sets behind the mountains, museum volunteers will be available at several telescopes studying different aspects of the lunar surface and other objects in the sky.

Additionally, a live broadcast from NASA’s International Observe the Moon Night website will be shown in the Center’s museum, while a loop of educational videos about the moon will be presented in one of the classrooms along with fun lunar activities.

Admission is by donation and reservations are not required.

This event will take place at the Sandia Mountain Natural History Center, not the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science’s main building. SMNHC is located at 60 Columbine Ln. in Cedar Crest. Parking is limited, so the Center encourages carpooling.

This event is weather-dependent. Check the SMNHC Facebook page on the event day, where it will be announced by 4 p.m. if the event is cancelled. An announcement will also be posted if the parking lot fills up during the event.

Nature trails will be open 5-7 p.m., and night sky observations will take place 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1. 

While there’s no bad way to observe the cosmos, the Center’s International Observe the Moon Night event offers visitors a chance to learn from researchers and passionate amateurs in the beautiful natural setting of the Sandia Mountains!