If you’ve never seen the Moon through a telescope before, here’s your chance. Scientists from UCLA’s Institute for Planets and Exoplanets will offer free views of the Moon on Saturday, October 8th, the official 2016 International Observe the Moon Night. In addition to being able to look through the eyepiece, actual samples from the Moon will be available for your inspection and lunar experts will be on-hand to answer your questions about Earth’s nearest neighbor. Viewing will start at 7pm from atop the Mathematical Sciences building and end about 9pm.

Cool Facts: the Moon is 2159 miles in diameter and 240,000 miles away. It has about 1% of the Earth’s mass and its atmosphere is a nearly perfect vacuum, but the polar regions may hold ice capable of sustaining future human colonies. The Moon's surface holds a record of solar system time, with the largest craters dating back billions of years.

For more information visit the Planets Website & the Observe the Moonlight website