This Saturday, October 16 is International Observe the Moon Night, which hopes to unite people across the globe, raise awareness of NASA programs, empower people to learn about space science exploration, facilitate sharing of moon-related stories and art, and inspire continued observation of the sky.
Get tips on how to host or celebrate independently here. Tune into NASA TV live at 6:30 central time at event on NASA TV or view the Lunar live stream starting at 12:30 pm on October 16 on YouTube.
Read on for a list of recommended reads about astronomy, planets, and the moon, for adults and children. Find this blog’s companion video on Instagram TV.
For Children
Curiosity: the story of a Mars rover by Markus Motum
In Curiosity, find an introduction to Mars and the challenges around building and getting a robot rover named Curiosity to land on planet Mars.
Sun! One in a Billion by Stacy McAnulty
This cute book is perfect for introducing the sun and learning that it, like the night sky, is also a star. McAnulty puts the size of the sun in context and introduces gravity and the northern lights.
The Little Spacecraft the Could by Joyce Lapin
Join New Horizons, “the Little Spacecraft that could”, on a journey through the solar system to Pluto. See photos of the dwarf planet up close and see a glimpse into the scientists at mission control.
Mars! Earthlings Welcome by Stacy McAnulty
Mars! is your invitation to learn all about the planet Mars, its cliffs, moons, water, and why it’s the color red.
Luna: The Science and Stories of Our Moon by David A. Aguilar
Discover eclipses, the tides on earth, the phases of the moon, and names we give the moon, such as “strawberry moons”. Then, learn about the moon’s landscape and features.
The Night Sky: A Frozen Discovery Book
Discover our solar system along with your favorite characters from Frozen and learn things such as the phases of the moon, and why the sun goes down.
Night Sky Detective from DK Smithsonian Eyewitness Explorer
Discover what makes up the night sky and how to observe it with binoculars and telescopes and develop your vocabulary and understanding of astronomic concepts.
Startalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson: Young Readers Edition
Startalk is “everything you ever need t know about space travel, sci-fi, the human race, the universe, and beyond” for young readers.
“Become an expert and wow your teachers with out-of-this-world facts… With great illustrations, cool trivia, and fun quizzes to test your knowledge, this guide will have you on your way to whiz-kid status in no time” – from the publisher.
For Adults
The Last Stargazers by Emily Levesque
Travel with Levesque across the world to meet the astronomers working large telescopes to explore space from earth. This book is a love letter to stargazing and an inspiration for future generations.
The Secret Lives of Planets by Paul Murdin
This short book encapsulates every interesting fact you want to know about the planets. The biggest volcano on Mars is 100 times the size of the biggest volcano on earth. Mercury is shy. Ceres is the planet that never grew up. Fans of popular science books will be enthralled by this stroll around the solar system, a few moons, and Pluto, and more.
How to Make Apple Pie from Scratch by Harry Cliff
Join Cliff in examining fundamental questions in modern physics in this illuminating history of how we reached our present understanding. Then, follow along with scientist’s quest to discover the secrets of the universe.
The Moon by Oliver Morton
Professional space writer Oliver Morton has an asteroid named after him. In Moon, Morton discovers the connections between the Earth and the Moon. Morton structures the book by looking at different sections of the moon to illustrate how our ambitions, technology, and viewpoint on the moon have shaped perceptions on Earth.
The Sky Atlas by Edward Brooke-Hitching
This not-quite encyclopedia beings with a survey of astronomy in ancient cultures. Then, discover star gazing methods used in the Middle Ages with beautiful illustrations. Find profiles of important astronomers of the last 500 years, with a segment reserved for the 20th and 21st century. An excellent introduction to the history, culture, and science of people studying the night sky.
The Smallest Lights in the Universe by Sara Seager
MIT Astrophysicist Seager reinvents herself after a personal tragedy and discovers new connections on Earth while studying the stars.
When the Earth Had Two Moons by Erik Asphaug
Asphaug explores how objects in our solar system developed over their celestial lifespans thus far. Enjoy his engaging writing style and learn along the way what the feeding habits of sharks have to do with astrophysics, how gravity’s instability shapes the universe, and why ice melts under pressure. Then, discover Asphaug’s theory of when the Earth had two moons.
The Book of Universes by John D. Barrow
Explore the realm of possibilities of physics and math with Barrow in this stimulating guide to what could be. Can the universe be spun to make time travel possible? Is there a universe where gravity decays? Are we part of one universe in a vast multiverse? Learn about all the ways in which scientists have manipulated Einstein’s theory of general relativity to discover what the laws of physics allow.
Black Hole by Marcia Bartusiak
Einstein’s theory of general relativity was pushed aside and hotly debated for 50 years until black holes were discovered. Only then did we come to know and love it. Discover the heated debates and occasional funny moments of astronomers and physicists, celebrate the discovery of general relativity, and learn how black holes got their name.
The Telescope in the Ice by Mark Bowen
Discover the success story of the Ice Cube at Earth’s South Pole. The Ice Cube is a telescope using a cubic kilometer of clear ice meant to detect the neutrino particle. In 2010, the first high-energy extraterrestrial neutrinos were found and a new field of astronomy was born.