International Observe the Moon Night is happening this Saturday, October 4th, and takes place annually when the Moon is in its first-quarter which is a great time for Moon gazing. This celebration brings people to together to share in their appreciation of the awe and beauty of the Moon. At Flickr, we celebrate the Moon throughout the year by featuring a number of events from lunar eclipses to Harvest Moon sightings, to the many waxing and waning evenings in between. If you missed our recent Lunar Eclipse gallery, now’s a great time to check it out as we gear up for this weekend’s Moon festivities.
International Observe the Moon Night provides an evening for observers and photographers worldwide to join together and focus on the Moon, learn about NASA’s exploration, and inspire interest in lunar science, while Flickr members also spend the evening photographing it. Our friends at NASA have created a comprehensive guide to help with the; what, where, when and how for this year’s Observe the Moon Night event. So with the big night fast approaching, it’s a great time to get up to speed on where to find an event near you and what gear to have on hand when things kick off.
There are already over 600 events registered through NASA, which means your chances of finding a gathering of like minded Moon enthusiasts near you, is high. Check out their events guide and if you can’t find one in your neighborhood, consider starting your own and inviting your friends and neighbors.
Need some tips for getting started? Unlike the challenges presented by unique events like solar eclipses, the Moon is a bit forgiving and can be captured beautifully with a camera phone, digital camera or film camera (instant film too). A telescope can always be a welcome addition to your gear, but the Moon gives a good show either way, even to the naked eye. There are a few tips that may help you along the way though, and the photographers at NASA have you covered. Don’t miss this helpful, comprehensive guide to photographing the Moon and you’ll be shooting like a pro before you know it.
Astrophotography on Flickr is truly a delight to see, which is why we hope you’ll have your cameras on hand when you make the trip outside this Saturday evening. We’ll be featuring Observe the Moon Night photos in a Flickr gallery and on our socials, so make sure to tag your photos with #observethemoonnight2025 so we can find your epic shots and share them with the Flickr community. If you’re looking for a refresher on how to tag your images, check out this article.
We hope to see your shots from under that big beautiful Moon soon! While you’re waiting to observe the Moon with your own lenses, visit NASA’s Moon Flickr Album for Moon photos taken by NASA’s expert photographers.
See you out there!
cover photo credit: Jeremy Stanley
