In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the landing of humans on the Moon, the Night Sky Network released new Moon handouts and activities as well as an Apollo presentation.

July 26, 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Apollo 15 mission to the Moon. Celebrate this historic achievement with a public presentation that provides an overview of the mission including highlights, video clips, and images.
 
The presentation is meant for use by anyone who is interested in learning more about Apollo 15, and as a resource for those who may be presenting on the topic. You can download and adapt the slides to your audience and setting.

 

Download Moon activities, demos, and handouts below! 
 

Discover the evening Moon phases and all about the geology and history of our nearest celestial neighbor with Exploring Moon Phases Cards. Print these and fold in half for an easy to use, informative lunar observing resource. 

Add some art and culture to your science events with the Moon Myths from Around the World cards and worksheet. Visitors from 5 to 95 will enjoy learning about the stories associated with the shapes on the Moon - from creation to moral tales, they will entertain and inspire new stories. Create your own Moon story on the included worksheet. Also, hear native storytellers telling Moon stories from their cultures thanks to our partners at LPI. www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/marvelMoon/tales/ (link broken when last checked 1/22/25)

Looking for a presentation on the Moon? Our To the Moon presentation gives an overview of the steps we took to get a human to the Moon. No background knowledge is necessary in order to give this presentation - all the handy notes you need are included in the PowerPoint version! Additional formats include Google Slides and Adobe PDF (the PDF version does not include notes). Find all three formats on the presentation page.

Has anyone ever asked - Can you See the Flag on the Moon? This handout takes a closer look at that question, by powers of 10. View the Moon with your eye alone, then zoom in with binoculars, a backyard telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope, and a lunar orbiter before looking back to Earth from the Moon's surface. What Earth features could you see from the Moon? 

We've included some of our favorites from previous Toolkits such as the activity Why do Eclipses Happen? and the Skywatchers Guide to the Moon Handout. 

Included in the physical Toolkit are tactile versions of the Moon and a close-up of Tycho crater. You can use these with the Spotting Craters activity to show how shadows on the Moon help us see more details. Or you can 3D print your own set of Apollo landing sites! 


Members of the public and the Amateur Observer's Society of New York enjoy the tactile Moon maps and related "Apollo at 50" resources. Photo by Linda Prince.


Last updated July 12, 2021