The Moon Landing 50 celebration was conceived as an IAU100 Under One Sky global project to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first human landing on the moon in 1969. The project comprises the largest coordinated Moon landing anniversary action worldwide with more than 120 countries celebrating the historic milestone.
The 1969 Moon landing was an integral and influential milestone for astronomy and space travel research. The importance of this event extends beyond the space industry to the whole of humankind. The achievement has inspired a generation of young people to study science and has allowed for the conception and development of more human spaceflight missions. It has also made a lasting impression on society and popular culture.
To celebrate the significance of this 50-year milestone, Moon Landing 50 has coordinated a variety of efforts to stimulate engagement and celebrations worldwide. The many events taking place on and around the Apollo 11 anniversary on 20–21 July include a Moon Habitat Design Contest in India, a performance by the Radio Science Orchestra in the United Kingdom, an astronaut golf tournament in the United States, workshops with tactile astronomy models in Argentina, a public lecture on the future of space exploration in Zambia, the Space Pioneer museum exhibition in China, a special TV broadcast on Irish public television, and much more. The complete list of activities registered worldwide can be explored here.
Moon Landing 50 has also endorsed a variety of special initiatives that are celebrating the anniversary. This includes the IAU OAD-supported SYSTEM Sounds science-art outreach project that conveys the scientific legacy of the Apollo missions through sound, and the IAU100 Special Project We Share the Same Moon that was developed to create an inclusive approach to science education through storytelling. Twenty individuals and organisations around the world have also been awarded a special telescope that has been signed by various astronauts and the IAU President Ewine van Dishoeck to support their outreach activities for the celebration.
Throughout the celebrations, event organisers and participants are encouraged to share updates and images on social media using both of the event hashtags #IAU100 and #MoonLanding50. An image submission form and social media wall have also been set up on a dedicated Follow page of the Moon Landing 50 website.
A variety of prizes will be awarded to selected event organisers and participants following the celebrations. To encourage the involvement of children in the celebrations, Moon Landing 50 has also established the Under One Moon art contest for children aged 5–12 from all countries.
The Moon Landing 50 website features event updates, visual resources (including logos and posters), activities and tools for event organisers, and the growing list of all registered events taking place worldwide. IAU100 invites everyone to officially register an activity, as any moon-related event taking place on or around the anniversary can be included.
The activities are organised within the framework of the IAU’s 100th anniversary in 2019. With over 3500 activities in 130 countries, millions of people around the world are celebrating the astronomical breakthroughs that have shaped science, technology and culture throughout the last century as well as highlighting the importance of astronomy as a tool for education, development and diplomacy. Find more information on the IAU100 website.
Contacts:
Bethany Downer
Moon Landing 50 Global Event Coordinator
Email: downer@strw.leidenuniv.nl
Jorge Rivero González
IAU100 Coordinator
Email: rivero@strw.leidenuniv.nl
Lars Lindberg Christensen
IAU Press Officer
Garching bei München, Germany
Tel: +49 89 320 06 761
Cell: +49 173 38 72 621
Email: lars@eso.org
The ISC congratulates its members, the International Astronomical Union, on its 100th anniversary as a scientific union, and its wonderful efforts to encourage the science community and public to participate in the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing.
The ISC also likes Apollo in Real Time. You can follow the real time journey of the astronauts and hear them speak to mission control.
Photo Credit:
NASA ID: 6901249
Keywords: Apollo 11, Moon, Crater No. 308
Center: MSFC
Date Created: 1969-07-20
This is a detailed view of the back side of Moon in the vicinity of Crater No. 308 taken during the Apollo 11 mission. Apollo 11, the first manned lunar mission, launched from The Kennedy Space Center, Florida via a Saturn V launch vehicle on July 16, 1969 and safely returned to Earth on July 24, 1969. The Saturn V vehicle was developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) under the direction of Dr. Wernher von Braun. The 3-man crew aboard the flight consisted of Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, Command Module pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., Lunar Module pilot. The Lunar Module (LM), named “Eagle, carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, was the first crewed vehicle to land on the Moon. Meanwhile, astronaut Collins piloted the Command Module in a parking orbit around the Moon. Armstrong was the first human to ever stand on the lunar surface, followed by Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin. The crew collected 47 pounds of lunar surface material which was returned to Earth for analysis. The surface exploration was concluded in 2½ hours. With the success of Apollo 11, the national objective to land men on the Moon and return them safely to Earth had been accomplished.