A future astronomer checking out the Moon.

____________________



Despite the bright Moon, the stars did make their appearance.
________________________


Venus makes an appearance in the west after sunset.

____________________

A live image of the Moon on the left being observed while watching a show on the Moon and the space station.

___________________


Some new friends from the Netherlands enjoying the desert night skies.

_____________


During a break we enjoy an on screen concert.

* * * * * * * *

Fun Facts

Did you know.  There has been over 300 songs written about the Moon.  From Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata", The Glenn Miller instrumental version and the satin voice of Ella Fitzgerald with their rendition of "Moonlight Serenade, Van Morrison's Moon Dance, Paul Simon's "Song About the Moon", Even the Rolling Stones and the B52's have songs about the Moon.

Since man first looked to the sky, there has been, and still are a treasure trove of different beliefs about the moon. 

It was, and still is believed that a full moon caused people to go crazy. How many times have you heard somebody say; "There must be a full moon tonight." because of the way people were behaving.

The Romans believed the moon was Luna, the goddess of the moon. 

For the Greeks,  Selene was the Titan Goddess of the moon.   A number of other goddesses were also associated with the moon, however, only Selene was represented by the old Greek poets represented as the moon incarnate.

Other Greek moon goddesses included Pasiphae, the Leukippides, Eileithyia, Hekate, Artemis, Bendis, and Hera who sometimes doubled for Selene in the Endymion myth.

And we must not leave out the Coyote and Werewolves known howling at the full moon . 

Actually, Coyotes and Wolves are not howling at the moon.  They become more active because of the bright illumination of the moon.  Primarily, they howl to announce their territory and determine if other coyotes are in or control the territory near their own. 

At night a coyote will howl and then listen for other coyotes to howl back.  If he hears another coyote to the North, South, East or West, he then knows that the  territory is  patrolled and claimed by a different coyote, and  will respect that coyote's boundaries.  

They will also howl to call their pack members back after they split up from a hunt.  

The moon plays an important role for the Native American Tribes.   Spring time brings the Corn Moon.  We have just left the Strong Sun Moon and have entered the Ripe Berries Moon.

Man and natures relationship with the moon is boundless.  And the stories will continue for centuries to come.