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Mysteries & Wonders of the Moon
ON-SITE | Two Sessions: Thursdays, September 5 and 12, 2 – 3:30 pm
Contrary to Shakespeare’s popular saying of the “inconstant moon,” the Moon has been a remarkably stable and a faithful companion for the Earth for most of its history. It’s added light to our nights, influenced ocean tides, and created essential behavioral patterns in the living natural world all around us. In this class, we’ll look at the patterns in the Moon’s movement through the sky, including phases, tidal effects, and diurnal motion, then examine its influences on the natural world and biological life, and finally explore the modern scientific understanding on the nature, origin, and structure of the moon. We’ll also learn about the wonderful array of features on the surface of the moon visible with our eyes, binoculars, and telescopes and how to best observe them. Weather permitting, we’ll go outside during each class session to practice identifying and appreciating features on the Moon with a small telescope, provided by the instructor. No science background is required, and participants are welcome to bring their own binoculars, spotting scopes, or other visual aids for the evening observing sessions.
Learn more about our class offerings here: https://www.ncarboretum.org/education-programs/adult-education-classes/